Wisconsin Senate race: Tammy Baldwin raised more than $2.8 million in fourth quarter of 2017

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin raised more than $2.8 million in the last three months of 2017 and had more than $7 million cash on hand, her campaign said Friday.

Baldwin's fundraising numbers far exceeded those already announced by the two Republicans seeking to challenge her in the fall, Delafield businessman Kevin Nicholson and state Sen. Leah Vukmir of Brookfield.

The Nicholson campaign said it raised more than $800,000 at the end of 2017 and had more than $500,000 cash on hand.

Vukmir said she raised $400,000 in the last quarter and has more than $500,000 cash on hand.

Baldwin's campaign said it received "$35 average grassroots online donations" as it attempts to counter millions of dollars in outside money that has already poured into the race.

The Center for Responsive Politics said late last year that there had been more than $3.1 million in outside spending against Baldwin, and around $532,000 against all other Democratic Senate incumbents combined.