Scott Brown Raises $3.2 Million In Fourth Quarter 2011 For Massachusetts Senate Race

Sen. Scott Brown's (R-Mass.) campaign raised an impressive $3.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, bringing his total cash on hand to $12.8 million. Brown faces a strong challenge for his Massachusetts Senate seat from Democrat and Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren.

The Boston Globe reports that Brown's war chest is the largest of any Massachusetts candidate for statewide office at this time in the race.

The Massachusetts Democratic Party dismissed the figure. "It's no surprise that Wall Street and the big banks continue to finance Scott Brown's campaign because he continues to put their interests first, ahead of middle-class Massachusetts families," said spokesman Kevin Franck in a statement. A report from the Center for Public Integrity revealed that K Street lobbyists and Wall Street interests had hosted fundraisers for him in the fourth quarter, but it's impossible to know how much was raised, since the campaign hasn't yet released itemized figures.

The Brown campaign said Warren would likely raise more. "Despite our success, we also know that our opponent is getting lots of financial support from extreme liberal special interests, and she will likely surpass our numbers," said Brown campaign finance director John P. Cook in an email to supporters.

Warren raised $3.15 million during third quarter 2011, which was abbreviated to about six weeks because launched her campaign's exploratory committee on Aug. 16. Brown raised $1.55 million during third quarter 2011.

Warren's campaign told the Globe that they will release their fourth-quarter numbers in the near future.

In the 2010 special election following the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy, Brown and his Democratic opponent Martha Coakley spent $20.6 million in a close race.

Brown is launching his re-election campaign on Jan. 19 in Worcester, the two-year anniversary of his special election victory.