WASHINGTON — I described Rep. Michele Bachmann's second quarter fundraising haul of $1.7 million as staggering, which it was. Today, the day after the third quarter ended, I need a bigger word — because she more than doubled it.

Bachmann spokesman Sergio Gor said the campaign will report that it...

• More than doubled its Q2 haul. Bachmann raised $1.7 million in the second quarter. Multiply that times two is $3.4 million, though I'm told the final numbers will be even more than that, possibly significantly more.
• Added at least $1 million to its cash-on-hand totals from the second quarter, which was $2.4 million. That would mean Bachmann has more than $3.4 million in the bank right now to spend on the last month of this race. Again, that estimated total is probably low and possibly very low.
• Received donations from 100,000 people.

Gor wouldn't assent to any of the calculated totals, which he said would be released at a later date. I added the totals together as a baseline benchmarking tool, but I should caution that the numbers are actually likely to be significantly higher than what I calculated out.

Given those estimates, however one can also fairly extrapolate that Bachmann spent at least $2.4 million campaigning in the 3rd quarter, a cash run that would more than bankrupt most every other campaign in the nation but seems to have left her with more than enough money to finish off what may be the most expensive race in the nation when it's all said and done.

Her opponent, Tarryl Clark, has not yet released exact or estimated numbers, but I'll post their totals when I get them.

A mid-September poll conducted by SurveyUSA had Bachmann leading Clark by nine points, 49-40, with 7 percent going to other candidates and the rest undecided.