Coakley apparently slips ahead in fund-raising for Senate seat
Capuano gaining as primary nears
US Representative Michael E. Capuano has stepped up his fund-raising and Attorney General Martha Coakley kept pace. Coakley, however, will apparently enter the final 20 days of the special Democratic primary for a US Senate seat with more cash on hand.
Capuano’s campaign said it had raised more than $1.8 million, spent roughly the same amount, and had more than $1.1 million in the bank as of last night. Coakley’s campaign said it raised about $1.9 million but did not have a breakdown of expenditures or of available cash. Coakley had nearly $800,000 more in her bank account as of Oct. 1, start of the most recent reporting period, and until recently was dedicating less money to TV ads.
The latest reporting period ended last night, and the candidates in the race have until next week to file their reports with the Federal Election Commission. The Globe requested estimates of amounts raised, spent, and remaining on hand from the four Democrats and two Republicans vying for their parties’ nominations on Dec. 8 for the late Edward M. Kennedy’s seat. Four campaigns had released at least partial figures by last night.
Capuano’s fund-raising had lagged the other Democrats’ during September, when he added $343,037 to the more than $1.1 million he had in his existing federal campaign account. Coakley had led all candidates at the outset of the race, raising nearly $2.2 million in September.
Will Keyser, a spokesman for Democrat Stephen G. Pagliuca, a part-owner of the Boston Celtics, said the campaign has taken in about $350,000 in contributions since Oct. 1. Keyser said campaign expenditures and the amount of personal funds spent in the past seven weeks by Pagliuca, a wealthy investor, will not be available until closer to next week’s FEC filing deadline. Pagliuca kicked in more than $1.8 million of his own funds in September and has now spent more than $5 million on advertising. Supporters have contributed more than $550,000 to his campaign.
Democrat Alan Khazei’s campaign did not have figures available last night, spokeswoman Samantha Waterman said. Khazei had raised more than $1.1 million in the first reporting period.
State Senator Scott P. Brown of Wrentham, one of two Republicans running for the seat, raised about $290,000 after Oct. 1, spent about $176,000, and had roughly $220,000 cash on hand, his spokesman, Felix Browne, said. Brown raised $169,000 in the September reporting period. The campaign of Brown’s primary opponent, Jack E. Robinson, did not respond to the Globe request yesterday.
Brian C. Mooney can be reached at bmooney@globe.com. 
