Massachusetts Democratic Senate contender Elizabeth Warren doubled Republican Sen. Scott Brown’s third-quarter fundraising haul, The Hill reports.
Warren is the front-runner for the Democratic nomination to challenge Brown in 2012, having gained a national profile through her role in crafting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She has been endorsed by several prominent progressive groups.
In the third quarter, the Harvard Law professor raised approximately $3.15 million to Brown’s $1.55 million.
Brown retains an overall financial advantage, for the moment, with $10 million in the bank. Warren has not been in the race long enough to accumulate such a war chest.
Warren announced the formation of an exploratory committee Aug. 18. Her entry into the race has driven out two other Democratic primary contenders thus far — Newton Mayor Setti Warren and former lieutenant governor nominee Bob Massie, an HIV-positive Episcopalian priest.
Polls for the Democratic nomination indicate that Warren is a clear favorite. General election polls indicate a competitive race between Brown and Warren.
Despite his high favorability rating in the state, Brown polled at 41 percent against Warren’s 39 percent in a late September poll by the University of Massachusetts. (RELATED: Sen. Scott Brown to Democratic rival: Keep your clothes on)
Brown won election in 2010 with substantial support from tea party groups. His election to former Sen. Ted Kennedy’s seat proved problematic for Democrats, who lost their 60-seat super majority in the middle of the debate over health care reform.
National tea party organizations have vowed to sit out the 2012 race, as they are upset by Brown’s moderate voting record.