By Rachel Kapochunas, CQ Staff

In the wake of the indictment against Alaska Republican Sen. Ted Stevens , his likely Democratic challenger, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, reported outraising the longtime incumbent during the most recent reporting period.

Begich reported raising $413,000 from July 1 through Aug. 6. Stevens reported raising $269,000 through the same period, according to his pre-primary report filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Thursday.

The funds reported bring Stevens’ grand total raised to nearly $4 million and $1.7 million on hand. Begich raised $1.7 million total and reported $462,000 in cash on hand.

Stevens’ campaign Thursday emphasized that $1 million of the senator’s total funds raised came from Alaskans.

“I thank the hundreds of Alaskans who have continued to support my mission for Alaska and my campaign,” Stevens said in a statement. “We are going to run hard through August and on into the general election. I look forward to continuing my travel around the state and meeting with Alaskans on the issues that will define this election.”

The totals reported include just a fraction of the time since Stevens was indicted July 29 on seven felony counts of making false statements on his financial disclosure forms.

Stevens rolled out television commercials this week listing accomplishments the Senator has made since first entering the Senate in Dec. 1968. “Without Ted, we’re toast,” a supporter says in one of the commercials. The testimonials argue the senator’s experience and seniority are necessary for Alaska.

Stevens was highly favored to win the Aug. 26 Republican primary against several lesser-known challengers, but his lock on his party’s nomination weakened upon news of the indictment. Bloomberg news reported Aug. 12 that the man who appointed Stevens to office, former Gov. Walter Hickel, believes Stevens’ “time is over.”

In the primary, Stevens will face David Cuddy, a wealthy real estate developer who lost to Stevens in the 1996 GOP primary after spending more than $1 million in personal funds, businessman Vic Vickers, who has not solicited donations, and four additional lesser-known candidates.

Stevens remains the best-known of his competitors and has a long history of steering federal funds to the state, for which many still regard him with high esteem. A Rasmussen Reports survey taken July 30 showed that 50 percent of respondents regarded Stevens favorably and didn’t want him to resign.

Stevens faces a tough challenge from Begich, who is favored to win his Aug. 26 primary. In the wake of the indictment news, CQ Politics changed the rating of Stevens’ re-election bid from Leans Republican to Leans Democratic.

A poll for the Anchorage Press published Wednesday gave Stevens a 3-to-1 lead over Cuddy in the primary while trailing Begich in a general election by 55.5 percent to 38.5 percent. The July 30 Rasmussen poll showed Begich leading Stevens 50 percent to 37 percent with 11 percent expressing a preference for ‘other’ and 12 percent undecided. The margin of error was 4.5 percent.

Republican Don Young , Alaska’s lone Congressman, is also up for re-election this year and faces competitive races in both the primary and general election. He reported raising just $84,000 from July 1 through Aug. 30 for a total of $1.1 million raised and $367,000 on hand. His major primary opponent, Lieutenant Gov. Sean Parnell, reported $182,000 raised through the most recent period for a total of $474,000 raised and $66,000 on hand.