Menendez, Kyrillos Bank Over $1-Million in U.S. Senate Race

The incumbent and challenger in this year's race for U.S. Senate each are reporting $1 million-plus fundraising totals for the second quarter.

Sen. Bob Menendez, the incumbent Democrat from Hudson County, raised $1.7 million for the quarter that ended June 30, bringing his total cash on hand to $10.3 million.

Joe Kyrillos, the veteran Monmouth County state legislator who is the Republican challenger, raised $1.3 million for the quarter, bringing his cash on hand to $2 million.

Each candidate raised more than $1 million in the first quarter. Experts say a competitive U.S. Senate race will cost more than $8 million to run.

Kyrillos campaign manager Chapin Fay says Menendez is getting big donations from oil companies and Wall Street firms. Menendez's camp says "corporations and billionaires" may fund Kyrillos.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)