Cory Booker raised $4.6 million in three months for New Jersey Senate race

Cory Booker raised $4.6 million for his U.S. Senate campaign in the past three months—a significant showing of financial strength with the Democratic special election primary just over a month away.

The Newark, N.J., mayor ended June with $4.5 million in the bank, according to his campaign, giving him a significant amount of cash to spend as he competes in a crowded Democratic primary to replace the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who died last month.

The news comes one day after a Quinnipiac University poll found Booker with a major lead over his rivals in the Aug. 13 primary.The poll of Democratic voters found Booker with 50 percent support, compared with 10 percent support for Rep. Frank Pallone, 8 percent for Rep. Rush Holt and 3 percent for state Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver. According to the poll, 26 percent of voters remain undecided in the race.

While Booker has long been considered the front-runner, Pallone is a formidable fundraiser who could make up last-minute ground in the race. Two days ago, he picked up the endorsement of the Lautenberg  family, who likened the Democratic congressman to their dad.

In a statement, the family said Pallone “knows that to be effective you must put New Jersey and your principals first, not your own glory”—an obvious dig at Booker, who angered Lautenberg earlier this year by jumping into the primary before the senator had announced his political plans for 2014.

Booker appears to be getting strong support from out-of-state donors. According to his campaign, 7,000 donors gave to his campaign, with only 2,027 coming from New Jersey.

While his Democratic rivals have yet to announce their fundraising totals, Booker so far is the only candidate running statewide television ads in the race.