Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case had the worst fundraising quarter of his U.S. Senate campaign, raising doubts about the strength of his organization with the Democratic primary against U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono just weeks away.

Case raised $123,800 from April through June — $98,600 in contributions and $25,000 from a personal loan. The money Case received through contributions was the lowest of any quarter since he formally announced his campaign in April 2011.

Case has collected more than $700,000. Hirono raised more than $941,000 during the past quarter and $3.4 million overall. Linda Lingle, the leading Republican candidate, raised more than $1.1 million in the past quarter and $4.2 million overall.

Dan Boylan, a retired history professor at the University of Hawaii at West Oahu, has said previously that political analysts may be placing too much significance on fundraising in the campaign. But he called Case’s quarterly figure "pitiful."

"Obviously, it means an awful lot of people aren’t betting on him, which is what campaign financial support is, betting on somebody’s chance of victory or investing in them," Boylan said. "And they’re not investing in him, which means they don’t think he’s got much of a chance."

But Boylan also said that Case has previously struggled with raising money and could still be competitive through his grass-roots activities across the islands.

Case cited his grass-roots operation as a strength.

"With virtually none of our support coming from the D.C. political action committees and special interests, and with most of our support coming from the grassroots of Hawaii, my candidacy offers a senator beholden only to the voters of Hawaii and with the ability, independence, commitment and marching orders to get D.C., working again," he said in an email.

"My opponents, with their hoards of cash coming from the D.C. insiders and mainland interests with no stake in Hawaii, would be so enmeshed from day one in a paralyzing grip of special interest obligations that they could scarcely lift a finger to achieve any real change in D.C. and help real people back home."

Political strategists, speaking privately, described Case’s fundraising as shockingly low for a competitive statewide campaign. But the Hirono campaign’s decision so far not to saturate the airwaves with advertising has minimized his disadvantage. Hirono has been conserving money for a possible general election campaign against Lingle.