Democrat Tim Kaine continues to raise more money than Republican George Allen in their race for Virginia’s open U.S. Senate seat, even as both candidates boasted of having their best fundraising quarters of the 2012 campaign.

Kaine’s campaign reported this morning that it raised about $4.5 million for the three-month period that ended Sept. 30 and had $1 million in the bank at the close of the fundraising quarter. The campaign spent another $3 million for advertising in the recent fundraising period, bringing its total advertising spending to $7.5 million.

Allen’s campaign said it raised $3.5 million for the quarter and had $2.6 million on hand.

The summary numbers were reported in news releases from the two campaigns. As already noted here, the fundraising totals for the two candidates don’t tell the whole story of the money pouring into the high-stakes Senate race. Outside groups — including some that can legally avoid disclosing their donors — have been spending heavily in an effort to influence voters here.

Kaine, a former governor and Democratic National Committee chairman, has raised nearly $15 million for his campaign and has consistently bettered Allen’s fundraising totals in each quarter. Kaine’s campaign said it has raised money from 40,000 individual donors, including 10,000 new donors in the last six weeks. Nearly 70 percent of Kaine’s third-quarter donors gave less than $200, the campaign said.

“We are truly humbled by the thousands of donors across the Commonwealth who have helped make this our strongest quarter yet,” said Kaine  campaign manager Mike Henry. “Since we started this race more than 17 months ago, we have constantly been encouraged by the outpouring of support for Governor Kaine’s candidacy and the enthusiasm for his Virginia-based, forward thinking strategies to solve our fiscal and economic challenges. While we’re proud of our fundraising total, we are most proud of the number of our donors and volunteers. We know we’ll have to rely on them to help battle against increasingly desperate ads and tactics in the last weeks.”

“Even in the face of more than $13 million in false ads run by outside groups, largely funded by secret money, supporters from all stripes have stood up and affirmed what we’ve known all along – grassroots support will be what wins this race,” Henry said. “As we enter the last month of the campaign, we are in a good position to share Governor Kaine’s message with voters across the Commonwealth and optimistic about finishing strong.”

Said Allen of his fundraising: “Susan and I are so encouraged by the groundswell of support our campaign is receiving from Virginians who share our vision for a better future.We know that behind every donation is a story of hard work and hope that current and future generations will have the same opportunities we had growing up. As we travel throughout the Commonwealth, Susan and I are hearing from Virginians who are hurting from the failed Obama-Kaine policies that brought us high unemployment, skyrocketing energy prices and higher taxes. We will continue to deliver our positive message for pro-job growth tax, regulatory, energy and education policies. This Election Day is our time for choosing, and we’re standing strong with Virginians who are energized for America’s Comeback. ”

– Michael Sluss