City Councilor John Connolly raises $14,000 after announcing bid for Boston mayor

By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

Boston City Councilor John R. Connolly hauled in $14,000 in donations the day after he launched his bid for mayor, continuing an aggressive fund-raising pace, according to his campaign.

In addition to donating money, more than 650 people have contacted the campaign pledging their support or promising to volunteer, according to the campaign.

“I’m humbled by this support,” Connolly said in a statement. “It’s a clear sign that there’s a need for new ideas and new energy, and I’m really excited that so many Bostonians are ready to join me in an innovative grass-roots campaign for Boston’s future.”

Since the start of this year, Connolly has raised almost $127,000. The balance in Connolly’s war chest was roughly $330,000 as of Feb. 15, which was the last time his bank filed a report with the state Office of Campaign & Political Finance.

Connolly still has a long way to go to match the balance sheet of the incumbent, Mayor Thomas M. Menino. He had almost $629,000 in his political account on Feb. 15 and has deposited $6,300 more in the last two weeks, records show.

Menino has not said publicly whether he will seek another term, but said Wednesday he would make a decision shortly. Connolly kicked off his campaign Tuesday.