GOP’s Baker raises $540,000 toward governor’s campaign

The contributions came from “thousands of donors who agree with me that Massachusetts state government is terribly broken and I’m the guy to fix it,’’ Baker said in a statement. By the end of September, Baker had $461,000 left in his account, according to state campaign finance reports, nearly as much as Governor Deval Patrick, the Democrat he is trying to unseat.

State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, who is running as an independent, raised $223,000 in September, according to his campaign. He has by far the most money in the bank, more than $3 million, according to his campaign spokeswoman, Alison Mitchell.

“Three million dollars speaks for itself,’’ said Mitchell. “All sorts of different people are giving to him, everyone from the 1,000 people who came to his [kickoff] event in Quincy on Sept. 10 to people who have been donating larger amounts for years.’’

Patrick raised $48,080 in September, according to his campaign, which did not disclose how much cash he had on hand by month’s end. By Sept. 15, however, he had $481,286 on hand.

In the governor’s race, campaign finance reports must be filed every two weeks. All but Patrick had filed their Sept. 30 reports by yesterday afternoon. The filing deadline was midnight.

According to campaign spokesman Steve Crawford, Patrick has raised more than $600,000 in 2009, but has been using it to gear up for the race.

“We’re investing the money and building a campaign organization that really no one else has,’’ said Crawford, who did not have exact spending figures. “We have a field organization with hundreds of people and a website the likes of which has never been seen in this state.’’

The governor was able to raise money in September, he said, even though he was recuperating from hip-replacement surgery and did not attend a single fundraising event.

But if he is lagging now, the governor is hoping to cut into his opponents’ fund-raising lead later this month when President Obama is the featured guest at an event that thousands of donors are expected to attend.

“Governor Patrick is closely in line with the Obama administration on a number of issues, particularly the creation of jobs and clean energy,’’ said a Patrick campaign adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the adviser is not authorized to speak on the president’s visit. “The president wants to show his support and be helpful as the governor looks to reelection in 2010.’’

Baker vastly outraised his GOP opponent, convenience store magnate Christy Mihos. Mihos, who spent $4 million of his own money on his failed 2006 independent gubernatorial campaign, took in only $2,418 in September, according to his Sept. 30 report.

He loaned the campaign $200,000 of his own money and spent tens of thousands of dollars on staff salaries and consultants.

His campaign spokesman, Kevin Sowyrda, said yesterday that Mihos began fund-raising in earnest only on Oct. 1, when he hired a national GOP fund-raiser, Carolyn Machado.

Mihos will not find it necessary to pay for the campaign with personal funds, Sowyrda said.

“The last thing voters want to see is politicians looking for money in the middle of August,’’ he said. “We’re going to raise a significant number of dollars. Our next reports will look very different than our prior reports in terms of outside funds raised.’’

Baker spokesman Rob Gray said the campaign held 18 fund-raisers in September and already has 100 more scheduled between now and the end of the year.

The money Baker has collected, he said, “came from a wide variety of people who have seen Charlie succeed in turning around a business in the private sector and think state government needs a similar turnaround.’’

Gray said governor’s races cost between $10 and $15 million, and he predicted this one would be no different. Baker, he said, will remain competitive with his opponents, including Patrick.

“We expect [the governor] to raise a lot of money,’’ Gray said. “But he still has to get by his record of raising spending and raising taxes.’’

Most of the donors who contributed to Baker in August, the most recent month for which detailed data is available, gave the maximum, $500. Among the contributors were former colleagues at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, where he served as chief executive. Several lawyers, doctors, and former state officials also donated to his campaign.