Last month, President Clinton headlined a Meehan fundraiser in Lowell, adding about $140,000 to the $1.7 million in Meehan's campaign account--even though Meehan had no opponent in the general election.
Meehan says that the timing of the event was a result of Clinton following through on a promise to come to Lowell--the first time a sitting president had done so--and adds that the fundraiser was "very popular" with the community.
But he also acknowledges that the money "will be used in a future race."
"If I were to run for governor, I have less money than the other candidates for governor," Meehan says. "If one is going to think about running for higher office, then one had better fundraise."