Romney donations jump following debate Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in Fishersville, Va., Oct. 4, 2012. WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Mitt Romney's online donations surged after his first debate against U.S. President Barack Obama, the Republican nominee's campaign says. Campaign aides said about $12 million was contributed in the 48 hours after the debate, 60 percent from new donors, The Wall Street Journal reported. Campaign offices also reported a sharp increase in volunteers. The Republican National Committee said the campaign got 300,000 new friends on Facebook. Romney aides said total contributions in the wake of Wednesday night's debate topped those in the period immediately after the candidate announced U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his vice presidential choice. The big question remains whether Romney can overtake Obama in decisive swing states like Ohio and Pennsylvania but Romney's strong debate performance appears to have energized some Republicans who had begun to write him off as a candidate, the Journal said.