WASHINGTON -- Having already pledged $10 million of his own money for a campaign, Democrat Mikal Watts said Monday he has raised another $1.14 million to take on incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn next year.

Watts raised the money in June, the first month he operated a campaign exploratory committee, his campaign said. The money makes it likely he will file as a candidate soon.

Watts, a trial lawyer in San Antonio, has put $3.8 million of his own campaign for the 2008 primary in March and $6.2 million for the general election if he wins the Democratic nomination.

“I think it’s sending a huge message to John Cornyn,” said Watts spokeswoman Kimberly Devlin.

Watts attended 39 events in 30 days and more than 800 supporters contributed. About $400,000 was raised through the Internet, Watts’ campaign said.

Cornyn spokesman Brian Walsh said his campaign won’t have updated numbers until later this week.

The second quarter on the fundraising calendar ended June 30.  Federal financial disclosure reports must be filed by Sunday. Some candidates release contribution totals early.

The reports are posted on the Federal Election Commission Web site, but senators are not required to file electronically, so postings of their reports take longer to become public.

Two others have said they plan to enter the race for the Democratic nomination opposing Cornyn but haven’t made it official -- Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston and Dallas attorney Emil Reichstadt.

Nationally, Democrats believe Cornyn is vulnerable.

“In Texas, you have an incumbent who has an approval rating

consistently in the low 40s and a voting record on many of the key issues that is out of touch with where Texas is,” said Matt Miller, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman. “They don’t believe we should stay the course in Iraq. Fundamentally, they want a senator who will be more than a partisan attack dog.”

The National Republican Senatorial Committee said Cornyn enjoys strong support in Texas.

“He will have no problem winning against a liberal trial lawyer that has yet to tell voters exactly what he stands for,” said committee spokeswoman Rebecca Fisher. “Clearly, the Democrats are going to have a divisive primary on their hands with candidates who have little to no name ID among the vast majority of Texans.”

Exit polls conducted by The Associated Press after last year’s election showed Texans still support for the Iraq war. But Miller said a poll conducted by the Democratic committee showed Texans no longer support Bush’s handling of the war.

Watts demonstrated his fundraising prowess in April when he held an event at his home that raised $1.2 million for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which will use the money on some nominees for the November 2008 election.