OMAHA — Democratic presidential candidates are still outraising Republicans in Nebraska, where February caucuses invigorated the state party and lifted hopes of competitive races in the fall.

Overall, Democratic presidential candidates had raised $625,285 in Nebraska by the end of March, compared with $426,467 for Republicans, according to the latest fundraising numbers from the Federal Election Commission.

“The Republicans have most always outraised us here, and they’re not doing that,” state Democratic Party Chairman Steve Achelpohl said Monday.

Democrat Barack Obama has taken in the most Nebraska cash — nearly $307,000 by the end of March. Obama and his wife, Michelle, visited Nebraska in February in the days leading up to the Democratic caucus, and his numbers were helped by a high-dollar August fundraiser hosted by billionaire investor Warren Buffett in Omaha.

Hillary Rodham Clinton raised more than $244,000, according to the FEC.

By comparison, Republican John McCain had raised more than $106,000 in the state, finally overtaking Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani, who have left the race.

Matt Miltenberger, executive director of the Nebraska GOP, said he expects McCain might come to Nebraska before the November election, which could boost fundraising efforts.

While McCain has the nomination wrapped up, “The Democrats are still fighting it out,” Miltenberger said. “They need every last dime.”

Nationally, Democratic presidential contenders had raised nearly $525 million by the end of March, while the Republicans totaled about $335 million.

Achelpohl said some limited polling has shown that Obama could be competitive in Nebraska, although no scientific polls have yet been reported. Achelpohl is a Democratic superdelegate who has endorsed Obama, as have four of the five other superdelegates.

At the February caucuses, Obama won 16 of Nebraska’s 24 pledged delegates. Clinton won the remainder. Thousands of Democrats turned out for the first-ever events, overwhelming preparations in some counties.

Nebraska and Maine are the only states where electoral votes can be split between candidates. Three of Nebraska’s five electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who wins the popular vote in each of the three congressional districts, and the other two go to the candidate who wins the state’s overall popular vote.

If Obama won the popular vote in the more urban and diverse 2nd District, which includes Omaha, or in the 1st District, which includes the Lincoln and several universities, he could chip off one or two of the state’s electoral votes.

But that would be unusual. The state’s electoral votes have never been split, and the last Democrat to win the state vote was Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Presidential candidates file fundraising reports throughout the election cycle, including one due monthly from now until November.