Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan raised $1.8 million during the past three months, her campaign announced Tuesday as the Democratic incumbent continued to squirrel away money for an expected fierce re-election fight against a Republican challenger next year.
Hagan’s campaign released federal campaign documents due Tuesday that show her with $5.4 million in the bank as of Sept. 30. Unlikely to face any challenger with high name recognition in next May’s primary, Hagan can keep most of her money for the general election. Hagan raised $1.6 million in the first three months of 2013 and $2 million in the second quarter.

Hagan campaign manager Preston Elliott said the third-quarter figures show North Carolina residents "support her bipartisan work to boost our economy, protect our seniors and service members, and represent commonsense North Carolina values in the Senate."

On the Republican side, state House Speaker Thom Tillis appeared to lead other GOP hopefuls in finances. He told supporters in an email he’ll report having more than $800,000 on hand when he files campaign finance documents.

Tillis, who announced his decision to enter the race in late May, also said he has surpassed $1 million in overall fundraising, but his campaign hadn’t released his actual report late Tuesday or provided specific third-quarter numbers. His campaign reported raising $277,000 in an abbreviated second quarter.

Tillis said recently he expected he needed to raise $12 million to be successful, with close to half of the amount arriving before the May primary.

"This campaign will be a tough fight, but we are far ahead of where Kay Hagan was at this point in 2007, as her campaign had yet to get off the ground," Tillis wrote to supporters. Hagan got in the race in late October 2007. The state senator from Greensboro went on to win the 2008 Democratic primary and upset Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole.

The campaign of Dr. Greg Brannon of Cary, another Republican candidate, said it raised $156,000 in the third quarter and had $105,000 on hand.

The Rev. Mark Harris of Charlotte, who formally announced his candidacy for the GOP primary two weeks ago but had a committee in place earlier, didn’t immediately release fundraising numbers by late Tuesday. Harris is the outgoing president of the Baptist State Convention. Heather Grant of Wilkes County is also running for the GOP nomination.