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Cruz raises $20 million in fourth quarter

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz raised nearly $20 million in the past three months, according to an internal memo obtained by NBC News.
Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, arrives at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition's annual fall dinner, Sep. 19, 2015, in Des Moines, Ia. (Photo by Charlie Neibergall/AP)
Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, arrives at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition's annual fall dinner, Sep. 19, 2015, in Des Moines, Ia. 

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz raised nearly $20 million in the past three months, according to an internal memo obtained by NBC News -- a significant haul for the Texas senator heading into the final month before the Iowa caucus.

"We're showing we have the strength going into the Iowa caucus," a campaign aide told NBC News tonight, adding, "If people want to get behind a candidate who can go the distance, we're showing we've got that."

It's Cruz's biggest fundraising total yet, surpassing the $12.2 million he brought in last quarter. And it brings the Texas senator's total figure for the year to $45 million.

Last quarter, Ben Carson - then the rising candidate in polling - brought in a similar $20 million. But for Cruz, his three-month total surpasses the $12 million he raised in the previous period.

Cruz is the first candidate to report his or her fundraising totals for this quarter, which technically ends on Thursday.

At the beginning of October, Cruz's campaign had the most cash on hand -- $13.8 million - but it has yet to publicly release what its coffers now hold.

This article first appeared at NBCNews.com