CHICAGO >> Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk has lagged far behind Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth in raising money for the final weeks of his re-election bid.

Documents filed with federal election authorities this month show Kirk raised almost $1.2 million between July 1 and September 30.

Duckworth, who attended the University of Hawaii and graduated from McKinley High School in Honolulu, raised more than three times that amount, bringing in $4.1 million during the same period. The total doesn’t include an Oct. 9 fundraiser for Duckworth with President Barrack Obama, who also grew up in Hawaii.

It was Duckworth’s strongest fundraising quarter yet, leaving Duckworth with $4.3 million cash on hand. Kirk’s campaign fund had a balance of about $1.4 million.

Democrats are counting on a Duckworth victory as the party looks to retake control of the Senate.

Kirk, who’s seeking his second term, said this week that he’s always exceeded expectations as a Republican running in a left-leaning state.

Kirk says he’s “always closed strongly.”