Beto O'Rourke hauls in $10.4 million, more than double total for incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz

Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, left, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Houston Chronicle photos by Brett Coomer, left, and Karen Warren. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, left, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Houston Chronicle photos by Brett Coomer, left, and Karen Warren. Photo: File, Staff / Houston Chronicle Photo: File, Staff / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Beto O'Rourke hauls in $10.4 million, more than double total for incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

WASHINGTON – Texas U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke raised more than $10.4 million in the past three months, more than doubling the $4.59 million reported by Republican U.S. Sen Ted Cruz, a former presidential candidate who is defending his Senate seat in November.

The cash haul for the three-term Democratic congressman from El Paso laid down a marker in the Texas Senate race, which already has garnered national attention as a David and Goliath contest in the deep red Lone Star State.

O'Rourke, a rare challenger outraising an established incumbent, also enjoys a substantial cash advantage over Cruz, who still leads in the polls. O'Rourke closed out the quarter ending June 30 with more than $14 million in the bank, compared to Cruz's $10.4 million.

Both candidates have emphasized their support in Texas, although campaign finance reports through the end of March show that Cruz relied on out-state contributors for about half of his total from individual contributors, while O'Rourke got about a third of his total from people outside Texas.

O'Rourke, who has sworn off money from political action committees, also was able to outraise Cruz in the first three months of the year, bringing in some $4 million more than the junior senator.