U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell has already raised more than $1 million to campaign for the fourth term he will seek in 2002.

        According to a report Mr. McConnell, a Louisville Republican, filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday, his campaign has raised $1,131,421 and has cash on hand of $1,023,636.

        After heading the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the last four years and raising nearly $170 million for the GOP's Senate candidates, Mr. McConnell said he is ready to concentrate on his own reelection campaign.

        “I ... now look forward to focusing all of my attention on my own race,” Mr. McConnell said in a statement.

        “We are preparing to run our best-funded and best-organized campaign ever.”

        Scott Douglas, a longtime staffer to Mr. McConnell, once again will oversee fund raising for the senator.

        Mr. Douglas most recently helped run George W. Bush's campaign in Kentucky, which Mr. Bush carried by 16 points over Democrat Al Gore.

        Of Mr. McConnell's contributions, 79.7 percent came from individuals and 12.6 percent came from Political Action Committees, or PACs, according to the finance report.

        Mr. McConnell has not yet formally drawn a challenge. But Democrat Lois Combs Weinberg of Hindman in eastern Kentucky, the daughter of former Gov. Bert T. Combs, plans to announce next month that she will challenge Mr. McConnell in the 2002 race.

        Political observers have said Mrs. Weinberg, who is virtually unknown across the state, will have a difficult time unseating Mr. McConnell.

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