Republican George Allen brought in $1 million in the last quarter of 2011 and has just over $2 million on hand heading into what is expected to be a costly battle for Virginia’s open U.S. Senate seat.
The haul was slightly more than the $900,000 Allen raised between July 1 and Sept. 30 but is still slightly off pace what the former governor and one-time senator reported in the first two quarters of the year when his campaign first launched.
For the second straight quarter, Allen also spent nearly as much as he raised. In October, the campaign reported it had $1.8 million on hand, meaning just $200,000 of the $1 million raised was saved.
“The continued generosity of our dedicated grassroots team of supporters has put us in strong standing as we move forward to the November 2012 elections,” Allen said in a statement. “I truly believe the 2012 election is our generation’s ‘rendezvous with destiny’ and Virginians are energized and ready to bring change to Washington.”
Tim Kaine, Allen’s likely Democratic opponent in November’s election, will not release fourth quarter totals Tuesday. At the end of the third quarter, his campaign reported he still had $2.5 million in the bank.
Money isn’t expected to be a great barrier to either candidate no matter how expensive the next 11 months become. The high-profile race has already attracted spending from outside political groups hoping to influence what is widely regarded as one of the most important Senate contests in the country.
