Sen. Markey Stockpiling Cash For Re-Election Bid

BOSTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Edward Markey is ramping up his fundraising efforts as he gears up a re-election bid this year.

Markey reported collecting more than $851,000 in contributions during the final three months of 2013, spending about $200,000.

That left the Massachusetts Democrat with more than $1.4 million in his campaign account heading into the current election year when added to earlier fundraising, according to Federal Election Commission reports

Markey has already drawn a Republican challenger — Brian Herr, a Republican businessman and selectman in the town of Hopkinton. Herr announced his candidacy last month and hasn't filed a fundraising report yet.

Markey served 36 years in the U.S. House before he defeated Republican Gabriel Gomez in a special election in June 2013 to fill the remainder of John Kerry's term in the Senate after Kerry was confirmed as U.S. secretary of state.

Markey raised and spent millions in that contest.

Markey is seeking a full six-year term that would begin in January.