By Shira Toeplitz, CQ-Roll Call

Sen. Christopher J. Dodd will get a boost from a $1,000-per-person Connecticut fundraiser next week headlined by President Obama — a bonus that will give the vulnerable Democrat a leg up on what promises to be a tough re-election campaign.

The campaign event was announced after the Dodd campaign tallied a $900,000 take in the third quarter — a period that had been a trying one as Dodd recovered from prostate cancer surgery and played a key role in the health care debate.

“Chris Dodd and President Obama are working hand-in-hand to help get Connecticut’s economy moving again, lower the cost of health care and protect consumers,” campaign manager Jay Howser said in a news release. “The fact that President Obama would come to Connecticut to campaign on Sen. Dodd’s behalf speaks volumes about the trust and confidence he’s placed in him at this critical time.”

It appears Dodd’s campaign will need every dollar that Obama can attract.

Republican Linda McMahon, CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, spent more than $2 million in the first two weeks of her quest to challenge Dodd. Third-quarter fundraising reports due to be filed Thursday will show McMahon has spent $2.05 million on her bid so far for the GOP Senate nomination. She will show $1.45 million in the bank as of the end of last month.

McMahon, who is reportedly willing to spend upward of $30 million of her own money on the race, will report loaning her campaign $3 million so far. McMahon has also donated $496,000 in in-kind contributions that include campaign-related expenses she paid for out of pocket, bringing her total personal investment to almost $3.5 million.

Public polling has shown Dodd, chairman of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, on unsteady ground but his numbers have improved over the past several months.

McMahon’s spending eclipsed her GOP competition, which includes former Rep. Rob Simmons, former Ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley, Sen. Sam Caligiuri and businessman Peter Schiff.

Simmons, who is the leading Republican in the race according to polls, announced Tuesday hat he raised almost $1 million in the third quarter and had just more than $1 million in cash on hand as of Sept. 30. Simmons also announced that he has raised $1.7 million to date.