Fourth quarter update: Cunningham $320k, Binnie self-funds $1.26M

Some fourth quarter numbers that have trickled in:

-The new Democrat running against Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), former state Sen. Cal Cunningham, raised $320,000 in the fourth quarter after entering the race with less than a month to go. We await numbers from North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, who is running against the Democratic establishment.

-New York businessman Randy Altschuler raised about $185,000 and has $776,000 on hand, thanks to some heavy self-funding. Primary opponent and attorney George Demos, in his first quarter as a candidate, raised about $300,000 without self-funding, and has $275,000 on hand. Both candidates have already run television ads in their quest to face Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.).

-New Hampshire businessman Bill Binnie (R) raised $255,000 and self-funded another $1.26 million for his Senate primary against former state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte. Binnie has emerged as the moneyed challenger to the establishment favorite Ayotte, and he’s promised to spend even more of his funds. If businessman Ovide Lamontagne (R) turns in a weak quarter, attention may shift to Binnie as Ayotte’s main roadblock.

-GOP farmer and gospel singer Stephen Fincher raised $320,000, on top of his $300,000 third quarter, while Democratic state Sen. Roy Herron self-funded $250,000 and raised $425,000 in the fourth quarter. Much of Herron’s money likely came from refunded donors to his aborted governor campaign. The two are running for retiring Rep. John Tanner’s (D-Tenn.) seat.

-The Democratic frontrunner for Rep. Paul Hodes’s (D-N.H.) seat, Ann McLane Kuster, keeps building momentum. She raised $206,000 after pulling in $180,000 in the third quarter and $163,000 in the second quarter.

-Former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan (R) raised $580,000 after pulling in $211,000 in a short span in the third quarter. That’s big money in a big open seat district, where Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) is running for Senate.