Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk was outraised by more than 3-to-1 this summer by Democratic challenger U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, federal campaign paperwork showed Thursday.

Kirk reported raising nearly $1.2 million for his re-election bid from July through September, compared with $4.1 million for Duckworth during the same time period.

Kirk had more than $3.1 million in July but spent almost $3 million during the third quarter, leaving him with nearly $1.4 million to start the home stretch this month. Duckworth had more than three times that amount of cash at the beginning of October at $4.3 million.

Duckworth has now outraised Kirk over five consecutive quarters, including the April-through-June period this year when she raised $2.7 million to just more than $1 million for Kirk.

rap30@aol.com