Messina in Miami today as Obama ramps up Democratic fund-raising

WASHINGTON–Obama 2012 Campaign Manager Jim Messina hit Miami Tuesday to prospect major donors, the latest stop on his national tour to line up big fund-raisers needed to bankroll President Obama’s bid for a second term.

This follows a Texas swing Messina just wrapped up in Austin and Dallas on Sunday and Monday.

I first disclosed Messina’s trips to Chicago, New York, Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles to huddle with mega donors here on Feb. 2 …. and here on Jan. 29

Messina–often with Rufus Gifford, the DNC Finance chief who will be the Obama 2012 fund-raising director–is first shoring up support with folks who were part of the Obama 2008 finance committee.

DNC professional fund-raisers are giving some 2008 donors–as they did recently in Portland, Oregon when Obama was at Intel Corp.–some access to Obama events to fire them up for 2012.

This comes as Obama has stepped up some of his fund-raising for Democrats, headlining an event for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Boston on Tuesday.

On Friday, Obama was the draw at receptions at the Fontaineblue Resort and a home to benefit the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and other Florida Democrats.