Sharron Angle raises stunning $14 million in third quarter

By Anjeanette Damon

Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010 | 9:27 a.m.

Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle’s campaign is reporting the conservative candidate raised $14 million last quarter, putting her on a nearly even financial footing with her opponent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Angle’s haul far outpaces any record set by a Nevada candidate, including Reid.

Reid’s campaign has said it is on pace to raise $25 million this cycle. But according to FEC records, the campaign raised just $13.8 million from January 2009 to August 2010. Reid has not released his third quarter fundraising figures yet. NOTE: Reid's campaign says they have raised almost $20 million so far in the six-year cycle that started in 2005.

Angle’s campaign has not released how much money it has spent so far this quarter, but has maintained a heavy statewide television buy since this summer.

Since she emerged from the Republican primary in June almost penniless, Angle has focused almost solely on fundraising. She launched an aggressive small-donor email campaign, held high dollar fundraisers in Washington, D.C., New York, Texas and elsewhere and solicits funds in almost every media interview she gives.

National pundits are likening her fundraising prowess to that of U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., who raised $14.2 million in January, according to the Washington Post.