McConnell raised $1.7 million in 4th quarter

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell raised $1.72 million for his re-election campaign during the fourth quarter of 2007, he announced today.

In all, McConnell has raised $10.89 million --  including $6.6 million in 2007 -- for the 2008 election, according to a campaign new release.

He has spent about $3.5 million, leaving him with $7.32 million in the bank.

The news release noted that McConnell's campaign has more cash on hand 10 months before Election Day than has ever been spent in Kentucky on a U.S. Senate Campaign.

McConnell, elected minority leader of the Senate last year by his colleagues, began airing television ads in November after several national groups aired ads attacking his stances on the Iraq War and health insurance for low-income children.

So far, three Democrats have said they will seek their party's nomination to challenge McConnell in the fall.

McConnell said he will file official fund-raising numbers with the Federal Election Commission soon.

UPDATE 3:50 p.m.: The Public Campaign Action Fund, a group advocating changes to federal campaign finance laws, issued a statement criticizing McConnell's fund-raising efforts.

“Mitch McConnell’s special interest haul for the final three months of 2007 should not be seen as a sign of strength, but rather as an indictment on the big money status quo he defends in Washington, DC.," said David Donnelly, the group's national campaigns director. "No one in Kentucky ought to see McConnell’s fundraising as anything but his mastery of a corrupt political system that places the interests of donors ahead of all Kentuckians.”

McConnell has been an ardent opponent of attempts to place limits on campaign contributions.

- John Stamper