Former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. released his hotly anticipated campaign fundraising numbers this morning. The Republican says he has raised $3.2 million -- about the same as his chief opponent, Gov. Martin O'Malley.

O'Malley, a Democrat who began the year with $5.7 million to Ehrlich's $140,000, now has $6.7 million cash on hand, his campaign reports. Ehrlich reported this morning that he has "in excess of" $2 million in the bank.

Ehrlich said he exceeded his money-raising expectations and noted that he'd pullled in cash from more than 13,000 individual donors, 96 percent of whom live in Maryland.

O'Malley has raised money from about 13,000 donors, as well, his campaign manager, Tom Russell, says.

O'Malley released his numbers Wednesday morning, hours after the reporting period ended. The State Board of Elections will make official campiagn finance reports for all candidates -- including the hundreds of hopefuls trying for the state's 188 legislative seats -- available Tuesday.