City Year Founder Raises $1 Million In Senate Race

First-time political candidate Alan Khazei says he has raised over $1 million in his bid to succeed the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.

The founder of the City Year program said Thursday he raised the whopping sum in a couple of weeks through a string of house parties, Internet donations and checks dropped off at his campaign headquarters.

Aides say the grassroots phenomenon shows a campaign is possible without money from political action committees or lobbyists.

Khazei is challenging his fellow candidates to skip PAC money for the campaign.

Fellow Democrat Stephen Pagliuca has already eschewed PAC money. Attorney General Martha Coakley and Rep. Michael Capuano have not made that pledge.

The primaries to succeed Kennedy are on Dec. 8.