The Hill News

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) political action committee, Sarah PAC, raised almost $1.6 million last quarter, it will report in Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.

Sarah PAC has just over $1.4 million in in the bank at the end of June after having spent about $1.6 million â€" about as much as it raised â€" between April and June.

The last quarter saw a revamped political operation for Palin, who relaunched Sarah PAC's website and embarked on a national bus tour sponsored by the PAC. That tour, along with some of the former vice presidential nominee's moves in primary states, has stokes speculation that she might run for president.

The money raised by Sarah PAC can't be used toward a presidential run, but the relatively healthy haul reflects the extent of Palin's latent support that could be converted into support for a White House bid.

"We at Sarah PAC are very pleased and grateful for the tremendous support t! hat Governor Palin receives from everywhere across our country," said the PAC's treasurer, Tim Crawford. "Sarah PAC more than doubled the amount we raised as compared to the same time period in 2009. We received more that 36,700 contributions from over 24,000 contributors."

Donations averaged under $50 per person.

Among the PAC's expenditures were $65,000 in contributions to candidates and an $18,700 donation to the Young America's Foundation, an organization for young conservatives.