FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear said Tuesday he has banked more than $1 million for his re-election campaign even though he hasn’t spent much time on fundraising.

The Democratic governor announced last year that he would seek re-election with Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson as his running mate.

Beshear said “it is especially encouraging” to have received so much money even though he and Abramson have been focused on resolving the severe financial problems facing the state.

“Fundraising won’t be our top priority in 2010, because Jerry and I both have a lot of work to continue in our elected capacities,” Beshear said. “Our focus will remain the day-to-day business of running the commonwealth and Kentucky’s largest city.”

The election isn’t until 2011. So far, Beshear is the only Democrat to commit to the race. Republican Richie Farmer, a former University of Kentucky basketball star and current state agriculture commissioner, has said he is considering seeking his party’s nomination for governor.

Abramson said the money raised in the final four months of 2009 shows that he and Beshear have broad support.

“Our contributors are from every corner of our state, representing a broad range of backgrounds, ages, and ideas,” Abramson said. “I’m proud to have so many people supporting our vision for Kentucky.”

Western Kentucky University political scientist Scott Lasley said the $1 million raised by the governor is “a good start” for a candidate who will likely need to bank $10 million for his re-election campaign.

“I don’t think anybody is expecting the governor not to be well-funded,” Lasley said. “Very seldom are incumbents not well-funded.”

Beshear has led Kentucky at a time of severe financial problems. State spending has been whittled by nearly $1 billion since he took office in 2007. And additional cuts are expected over the next two years.

Lasley said challengers are likely to try to blame Beshear for those financial woes in the upcoming governor’s race.

“What you find is people tend to attribute state economic blame three ways,” Lasley said. “Some blame it on national factors. Some blame it on state factors. And some blame it on both. So there’s a degree of insulation there for the governor.”