Republican George Allen took in about $900,000 over the last three months for his bid to reclaim his U.S. Senate seat, far short of his fundraising for the first half of the year.
Allen’s campaign announced the figures Friday ahead of the Oct. 15 Federal Election Commission filing deadline. Heading into the last three months of the year, Allen has nearly $1.8 million, meaning he has spent nearly as much as he has raised since June 30, when his campaign reported closing the quarter with $1.65 million left in the coffer.
Last quarter’s haul is the second in a row where Allen raised less money than the previous three months. From April through June he took in $1.1 million after reporting $1.5 million in donations in the months following his campaign kick off in January.
Tim Kaine, Allen’s likely Democratic opponent in next year’s election, has yet to release his numbers, but reportedly raised $2.3 million in the first six months with $1.9 million on hand. Since then, he has benefited from fundraisers with high-profile Democrats, including an event with President Obama’s donors in Chicago.
Kaine’s campaign did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
While Kaine and Allen are likely to face primary opposition before their expected showdown in the fall of 2012, Allen will have a tougher draw. Virginia Tea Party leader Jamie Radtke brought in $116,000 in the third quarter, her campaign announced Friday.
Republicans, aided by Gov. Bob McDonnell, have focused considerable time and energy on this year’s state legislative races and GOP efforts to take control of the Virginia Senate, in which Democrats have a 22-18 majority. Allen’s campaign suggested in a statement released Friday that the state races cut into his own fundraising.
“Even as [my wife] Susan and I continue to travel the commonwealth campaigning and raising money for General Assembly and local candidates on the ballot this year, it is clear there is an urgency for action,” Allen said.
A complete breakdown of donations and expenditures is due to the Federal Election Commission by Oct. 15.
