Greg Nickels may be too green for some of his critics, but never green enough for his supporters. His latest reelection fundraising is off to an even better start than that of his current term, and just in time—only 14 months to go. As of last week, the mayor had taken in $228,000 for his 2009 campaign. At this point in 2004, 14 months before the 2005 election, he’d raised $172,000 (but ended up with $537,000).

Nickels’ running total for the three campaigns starting in 2001 is currently more than $1.3 million—the all-time City Hall campaign record—not counting another $100,000 given to his office slush fund, much of it from the same backers of his Neighbors for Nickels political campaigns (neighbors such as downtown developers and corporate attorneys).

When he first ran for mayor, in 1997, Nickels drummed up all of $100,000 and got routed in the primary. “I learned a lot in ’97,” Nickels once said. (#1 lesson: Hire Colby Underwood.)

Still learning, apparently, are his rumored potential rivals in 2009: Richard Conlin has so far raised all of $37,000 for his 2009 council re-election effort, and council member Nick Licata has $30,000 in his 2009 fund—almost all of it left over from his previous campaign. Nickels’ office fund alone totals $54,000.