Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) raised nearly $1.5 million in the first three months of the year for his campaign to replace retiring Sen. Mel Martinez (R).

On a conference call with reporters, Meek campaign adviser Steve Hildebrand pegged the Congressman’s first-quarter fundraising total at $1.49 million, with two-thirds of those contributions coming from Floridians. That total includes some $400,000 raised at two high-profile fundraisers featuring former President Bill Clinton.

The first-quarter fundraising period ended at midnight Tuesday, but reports are not due to be filed with the Federal Election Commission until April 15.

Hildebrand said the campaign had not yet calculated how much cash Meek had on hand at the end of the quarter, but he said the fundraising total does not include the $325,000 the Congressman transferred from his House account when he entered the Senate race.

Meek, who hails from a Miami-based district, has been working hard to boost his profile statewide since his early January announcement.

Meek and state Sen. Dan Gelber are the biggest Democratic names in the Senate race so far. The Republican field has yet to be sorted out as party insiders await a decision from Gov. Charlie Crist (R).