Maine Senate race fundraising a record; Collins 3rd quarter surpasses Allen total

Third-quarter campaign fundraising figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Senate campaigns of Rep. Tom Allen and Sen. Susan Collins show that Collins raised $52,000 more than her opponent in July, August and September.

The total raised by both campaigns is a record in Maine.

According to the Collins campaign, the incumbent Republican raised $1,048,029 during the three-month period, bringing her total to $7,632,012 with more than $3.3 million as cash on hand.

The Allen campaign indicated in a separate statement that Maine’s 1st District congressman raised $995,688.75 during the quarter. The Democrat overall has raised more than $5.7 million and reported to the Federal Election Commission that his cash on hand for the quarter was $1,669,835.

That brings the total raised by both campaigns to more than $13.3 million, which is a record in Maine. Previously, the highest amount of money raised for any campaign in the state was in 2002, when Collins and her then-challenger Chellie Pingree raised $8 million between them. Pingree now is running against Republican Charlie Summers to replace Allen in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Senator Collins is extremely proud of the support she has received during this campaign,” Kevin Kelley, spokesman for the Collins campaign, said in one of the statements. “The excellent fundraising quarter will help ensure that Senator Collins has the resources required to run a strong campaign and to continue to talk about her long record of effectiveness in the U.S. Senate.”

In their statement, the Allen campaign indicated that Maine contributors account for $483,311 of the almost $1 million that it raised in the quarter. The average contribution was $179 and the most common contribution was $50, with online contributors accounting for one-fourth of the total.

“We are pleased that Tom Allen’s message of change continues to resonate with contributors who share his belief that we must put Maine and this nation back on the right track by moving away from the failed Bush policies supported by Susan Collins,” the Allen campaign wrote in the statement.

btrotter@bangordailynews.net

460-6318