Massachusetts Democrats begin stockpiling cash to challenge Scott Brown in 2012 Senate election

Brown's Democratic challengers still have a way to go to catch up with his campaign war chest of more than $8 million.

View full sizeAssociated PressSenatorial hopefuls, from left: Herb Robinson, of Newton; Newton Mayor Setti Warren; State Rep. Tom Conroy of Wayland; Bob Massie of Somerville; Marisa DeFranco of Salem; and City Year co-founder Alan Khazei gather for photographers during the state Democratic Convention in June at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell. The state convention included addresses by the six hopefuls seeking the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Scott Brown. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

BOSTON — Democratic Senate hopeful Alan Khazei has raised more than $920,000 in the past three months as Democratic challengers to Republican US Sen. Scott Brown begin stockpiling money for next year's campaign.

Newton Mayor Setti Warren, who is also challenging Brown, raised more than $122,400 during the same three-month period ending June 30. Bob Massie raised more than $82,800, while Salem-based immigration lawyer Marisa DeFranco raised about $6,000.

Wayland state Rep. Tom Conroy raised almost $61,000 since officially declaring as a candidate on June 2nd.

Newton resident Herb Robinson is also running for the Democratic nomination. He said he entered the race later and has not begun raising funds in earnest. Still, he spent $3,000 of his own money in the quarter, he said.

A Brown spokesman said his campaign did not yet have his fundraising total for the second quarter.

Brown's Democratic challengers still have a way to go to catch up with his campaign war chest of more than $8 million, much of it left over from last year's special election.

Khazei, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in the special election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of longtime Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy, said he raised the nearly $1 million in campaign cash without taking any contributions from political action committee or lobbyists representing corporations.

Khazei said more than half of the contributions came in donations of $200 or less.

A spokesman for Warren said his fundraising for the second quarter was a strong start for a candidate making his first run for statewide office, particularly since it represented about seven weeks of fundraising after Warren first announced he was a candidate.

Massie said his campaign has received contributions from 480 donors averaging about $393 per contribution.