Senate candidate Warren raises $3.15 million, doubling Brown’s receipts during last quarter

By Noah Bierman, Globe Staff

Elizabeth Warren, capitalizing on Democratic establishment support and help from progressive political action committees, has raised $3.15 million toward her US Senate bid, doubling what Republican Senator Scott Brown raised over the same reporting period, their campaigns said today.

The Democrat’s strong fund-raising start sets the stage for an especially expensive US Senate race in 2012, given the importance of the seat to both parties. Brown raised $1.55 million for the quarter ending Sept. 30, meaning the candidates combined raised $4.7 million. Brown’s campaign said he had $10.5 million in his war chest at the end of September.

The fund-raising reports serve as a measure of political strength for the public, party activists, and for additional potential donors who may be waiting to gauge a candidate’s viability. The money will also be important as the election draws nearer and candidates begin competing with television and radio ads.

Warren’s figure puts her far ahead of fellow Democrats seeking the 2012 nomination.

“These are pretty amazing numbers for our first official finance report, raised in a very short period of time,” Warren said in an e-mail to supporters. “So you can understand why I want to say thanks a million -- and more! -- for this remarkable support”

In a news release, Brown’s finance director, John Cook, called it “another strong fundraising quarter” for his candidate.

“He will have the resources he needs to get out his strong pro-jobs message and run against whomever emerges as the Democratic nominee,” Cook continued.

Warren’s next closest Democratic competitor, Alan Khazei, said on Friday that he raised $365,000 in the most recent fund-raising period. He said he had $750,000 in cash available. Khazei raised $920,000 in April, May, and June, before Warren entered the race.

Warren officially became a candidate Sept. 14, but she began raising money through an exploratory account in August and activists began raising money on her behalf even earlier, as part of an effort to draft her into the race.

A campaign official said today that the vast majority of her total came since she became a declared candidate. The liberal group that started the draft effort on Warren’s behalf, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said it has raised about $400,000 of her total. Another liberal PAC, Emily’s List, has also been supporting Warren.

The Warren campaign said that 96 percent of its donations were for $100 or less and that 11,000 contributions came from Massachusetts residents. But the campaign did not say how many large contributors she had and how large their contributions were. Nor did the campaign say how many contributions came from out of state.

The Brown campaign did not release further details of its fund-raising either.

Other Democrats in the race have not announced fund-raising totals. They are: Thomas P. Conroy, a state representative from Wayland; Marisa DeFranco, a North Shore attorney; and Herb Robinson, a Newton software engineer.

Two other candidates -- Newton Mayor Setti Warren and Somerville activist Bob Massie -- have dropped out of the race, saying Warren’s entry had changed the dynamic.

Bierman can be reached at nbierman@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @Noahbierman.