WASHINGTON -- Republican state Rep. John Loughlin has reported raising more than $246,000 last year for his campaign to unseat Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, the veteran Democrat who represents Rhode Island's First Congressional District.

In his year-end report to the Federal Election Commission Wednesday, Loughlin's contributions from individuals totaled more than $87,000 in the final quarter of 2009. He reported having about $110,000 left in his campaign war chest, having spent more than $136,000 by year's end.

``I think we're doing a little bit better than expected,'' Loughlin said Thursday morning, speaking of his fundraising in 2009. ``I'm pleased with where we are right now.''

The bulk of Loughlin's fourth-quarter receipts were "unitemized,'' meaning that his campaign depended heavily on mailed and on-line solicitations of small sums that do not require individual disclosures.

Loughlin has predicted that his receipts for the first months of this year will rise, reflecting the kind of fervor for his challenge that helped Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown - a little-known state legislator before last week - to score a major upset in winning the seat long held by the late Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Patrick Kennedy's father.

``It's a little early to tell'' whether Loughlin's contributions since the Brown victory have borne out that optimism, he said.

At the end of the previous reporting period, last Sept. 30, Kennedy's campaign had about $459,000 in the bank, compared to $61,117 for Loughlin. Their fundraising totals through Sept. 30 had been: Kennedy, $544,885 and Loughlin $158,747, according to compilations by the independent Center for Responsive Politics.

Kennedy reported spending almost $1.8 million on his 2008 reelection campaign against Republican and independent opponents who did not raise enough cash to trigger federal reporting requirements.

Kennedy's year-end campaign report has yet to be filed. His spokeswoman, Kerrie Bennett, said it will be filed by the Jan. 31 deadline.