Romney pulled $822,544 from Utah in the third quarter - second only to California's $1.3 million, according to campaign finance reports filed Monday. So far this year, residents of the Beehive State have contributed a total of nearly $4.6 million to Romney's effort.

Still, the former Massachusetts governor and leader of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City is grabbing a declining amount of money from Utah, where he garnered an unprecedented $2.7 million in the first three months of the year. The latest report hints that Romney may be tapping out the state for primary funds; his latest haul is about half what he received in the three months prior.

However, political observers in Utah are astonished that Romney, who also owns a home in Deer Valley and shares his Mormon religion with a majority of residents, has been able to draw that much money from the state in such a short amount of time.

"The total amount of money Romney's pulled out of Utah in less than a year is phenomenal," says Jeff Hartley, a political consultant and former executive director of the Utah Republican Party. "I'm surprised he's been able to find that much money in Utah; we're not typically a major donor state" for presidential politics.

Romney aggressively reached out to Utahns for contributions in the quarter, even appearing at a fundraising rally in Utah and targeting his advertising at one point to fellow Mormons.

Campaign spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said Romney is "grateful" for all the support he has received from voters in Utah.

Utahns have donated to other candidates as well, of course, though not in amounts close to those Romney has received.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who also held a fundraiser in Utah during the quarter, took in $94,450 from Utah in the third quarter, his report showed Monday.

Congressman Ron Paul, R-Texas, raised a surprising $46,905 in Utah. Sen. John McCain has pulled in $11,427 from Utahns, while former Tennessee senator and actor Fred Thompson brought in $3,325. Ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee raised $1,000 from Utahns, his report says.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, the frontrunner in the Democrat race, has pulled in $47,993 from Utah. Democrat hopeful Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, has raised $37,600 from Utahns. Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., has raised $9,550. Candidates had until midnight Monday night to file their respective reports.

Romney's disclosure shows that he is still his campaign's largest donor by far; he has dipped into his own pocket to the tune of $17.35 million so far in the campaign despite telling reporters in January that it would be akin to a nightmare for him to have to contribute to his efforts.

If not for Romney's own loans, he would be operating in the red. The former governor has raised $44 million in contributions but spent $52 million so far this year.

tburr@sltrib.com