WASHINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush, leaving his predecessor's political fund-raising records in the dust, meets in Texas on Friday with his top financial backers to energize them ahead of fall congressional elections.

Bush is to meet at a neighbor's ranch in Crawford with members of his 214-strong "Pioneers" club, each of whom raised at least $100,000 for Bush's 2000 presidential campaign.

Top White House and Republican party operatives will be on hand at Stan and Kathy Hickey's Broken Spoke Ranch for the event, which the party describes as a chance to cultivate the backers.

"This is a way for him (Bush) to say thanks to these people for all the help that they've given to him and the party over the years," Republican party spokeswoman Mindy Tucker said. "We want to continue to cultivate those relationships."

This year's congressional elections -- which have kept Bush busy raising money in recent weeks including during his August break from Washington -- are sure to be discussed, Tucker said.

But "there's no direct appeal of any sort" for money, she said.

FUND-RAISER IN CHIEF

USA Today reported on Monday that Bush had raised more than $100 million since taking office in January 2001, more than any other president after 19 months in office.

In the process he broke the record for a single event set in 2000 by former President Bill Clinton with a $26.5 million fund-raiser.

Bush raised some $33 million at an event in May. In June he raised $30 million at a fund-raiser that prompted Democrats to criticize the party for selling a photo of Bush aboard Air Force One during the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

Analysts say the Bush records reflect a growing awareness by political parties of the fund-raising power of the presidency, and willingness by presidents to capitalize on it.

"After Clinton, who upped the bar, the party movers and shakers both Democrat and Republican understand that the president is a great draw ... the greatest of them all," said Ben Bycel, vice president of Common Cause, a campaign finance watchdog group.

The money is likely to give Republicans an advantage in this year's elections to decide control of both houses of Congress. Republicans want to boost their slim majority in the House and regain control of the Senate.

UNCERTAINTY ABOUT NOVEMBER

But it is unclear whether Bush's success in wooing donors will extend to voters, said Mark Rozell, a political scientist at Catholic University in Washington.

"This enables the Republican party to do a much better job of getting the message out. ... The interesting question is whether Bush can translate his current popularity in his fund-raising ability into favor of Republican candidates around the country," he said.

He added that corporate accounting scandals that tarnished the image of high-flying executives may make it necessary for Bush to adopt a low profile in his fund raising or risk being painted as too close to big money.

The Pioneers club includes Ken Lay, the disgraced former chairman of bankrupt energy giant Enron Corp. and a long-time Bush ally.

Bycel said Bush's fund-raising records could stand if a ban on unregulated "soft money" contributions to political parties survives court challenges.

But he said he remains concerned about the possibility that presidential candidates in 2004 will drop out of the public financing system -- which limits candidate spending -- and launch an all-out search for direct donations.

"If they don't belong to the presidential financing system they will raise as much as they can. ... It means the presidency is for sale again." Nampa-Reuters 0704 160802 WEB story ENDS (NAMPA 160709)