In the race for Senate seat once held by President Obama, Illinois state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias raised $1.1 million in the third quarter and will report having $2.4 million in cash on hand at the end of September, according to a preliminary tally from the campaign obtained by Roll Call.

Available cash in the account of Giannoulias, a Democrat, is slightly more than what had been stockpiled by the likely GOP nominee, Rep. Mark Steven Kirk, at the end of last month.

The race is expected to be particularly expensive because of the Chicago media market, and both parties’ interest in targeting Obama’s former seat.