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* Tribune…
With the departure of former Gov. Bruce Rauner from the state’s political scene, the Illinois Republican Party is turning to grassroots fundraising to try to help make up for at least some of the loss of its biggest benefactor.
Tim Schneider, Rauner’s handpicked chairman of the state GOP, announced the formation of the “Lincoln Legion” with membership through recurring contributions ranging from $10 to $25 a month in exchange for “exclusive invites” to Republican events.
“For too long, ready and willing donors from the grassroots have been neglected,” Schneider said in an email to Republicans. “Not anymore. It’s time for a legion of patriotic Illinoisans to rise up and save our state.”
From the time Rauner announced his candidacy for governor in June 2014, he and his largely self-funded campaign directly gave the state GOP more than $36.8 million. That’s nearly two-thirds of the $58 million the state GOP collected over the same time period.
That story was published a couple of days ago. Since then, the ILGOP reported raising a little over $8,000 in individual contributions during the third quarter, including only $555 in small contributions. The party’s total quarterly take was just $36,405. Yeesh. It had $106,369.28 in the bank at the end of September.
By contrast, the Democratic Party of Illinois reported raising $334,030 in the third quarter and had $819,289 in the bank.
* Speaker Madigan’s campaign fund had over $7.1 million in the bank after raising a little over a million dollars in the bank. But his legal fees are still piling up. Madigan spent $360,582 on lawyers in the third quarter (ten times the amount the ILGOP reported raising during the same quarter, FWIW). He’s spent more than $814,000 on lawyers since the first of the year and almost $1.5 million since the first of 2018.
* Other money stuff…
* Freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten builds up war chest of more than $1.4 million in advance of GOP challenge from Jeanne Ives: Federal Election Commission campaign reports showed Ives, who announced her candidacy in mid-July, raised $340,298 through September. After spending $117,500, she said she had about $222,796 on hand.
* With nearly $1.2 million in the bank, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood has a healthy fundraising lead over potential Republican challengers: The top fundraiser among Republicans trying to win the right to challenge Underwood in November 2020 was state Sen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove. Oberweis, unsuccessful in previous bids for Congress and the U.S. Senate, raised $329,493 and reported $551,578 in cash on hand. … Ted Gradel, an investor from Naperville who entered the contest in April, reported $496,000 in cash on hand to start October. Gradel raised nearly $264,000, including a $100,000 loan to his campaign. He had nearly $290,000 at the beginning of July and spent only $57,000 from July through October. Republican state Sen. Sue Rezin of Morris, who announced her candidacy for the GOP nomination in early July, reported raising more than $245,000 through September, including making a $100,000 loan to her campaign. She reported more than $226,000 to start October.
* Primary challenger Marie Newman outraises Rep. Dan Lipinski by nearly 2 to 1 in last quarter: Newman, seeking a primary rematch against Lipinski after losing her March 2018 bid against the Southwest Side and south suburban lawmaker by 2.2 percentage points, reported raising $351,326 in the three-month period. Lipinski reported raising $177,741. Still, the seven-term congressman from Western Springs held a slight advantage over Newman in terms of cash available to start October. Lipinski had $693,088 to Newman’s $514,237 in cash on hand. A third Democratic candidate, activist and former broadcaster Rush Darwish of Chicago, raised $272,779 in the three-month period including a $62,000 loan to his campaign. He reported $318,113 in cash on hand to start this month.
* In the 13th Congressional District, Congressman Rodney Davis reports $905,657 and Democratic primary challenger Betsy Dirksen Londrigan has $721,805.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:39 pm
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Tim, I thought Bruce Rauner was supposed to save our state? It was the rallying cry during the closing days of the first campaign.
Comment by Red Ranger Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:45 pm
The Trib write-up on IL-14 missed a few things:
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/10/16/il-14-initial-observations-of-3rd-quarter-fundraising-including-campaign-reactions
Comment by John Lopez Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:54 pm
Oops. I meant the Sun-Times.
Comment by John Lopez Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:56 pm
Actually, they both missed things about IL14.
Comment by John Lopez Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:57 pm
=== The party’s total quarterly take was just $36,405. Yeesh. It had $106,369.28 in the bank at the end of September.===
So, if you want to buy the ILGOP like Bruce and Diana Rauner did, the controlling interest in the brand is $107K.
Included in buying this weakened brand;
* Folks looking to create a 51st state
* A racist POTUS who is afraid to come to Chicago
* Legislators who are more than willing to vote against state universities in their district
* Statewide officers? None to challenge your ownership
* A Chicago GOP that will support Dem Mayoral candidates instead of doing that hard work needed to find a Mayoral candidate.
* ILGOP leadership that let a national socialist run as a Republican for congress
Now, you’re asking yourself, “I can have ALL that?”
No, you can have all that and MORE
* A new map for 2022 likely drawn by Democrats
* A lost GOP congressional seat after 2022
* Alienation of minority, young, female voters, and a diminished footprint in Cook and the Collars
“Boy, when Bruce and Diana Rauner wreck something, they leave very little left”
- Daisy and Tom Buchanan, maybe.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:59 pm
OW
What can’t be achieved by money might be achieved by political scandal. If there are a number of indictments of prominent Democratic politicians the climate of opinion can change quickly.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:18 pm
=== What can’t be achieved by money might be achieved by political scandal===
With $107K in the bank and Trump in the ballot, how ya gonna message any “scandal”?
They did a whole movie on Madigan.
Madigan is more powerful after the movie then he was before the movie… or ever.
If you have “hope” as a plan, ya have no plan.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:21 pm
Steve, a Democratic governor was impeached & removed 10 years ago yet things got worse for GOP.
Comment by John Lopez Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:23 pm
Right wing political strategy: Let’s pin our hopes on a corrupt Madigan, because Illinois voters don’t want our anti-tax, anti-union red state policies.
“From the time Rauner announced his candidacy for governor in June 2014, he and his largely self-funded campaign directly gave the state GOP more than $36.8 million. That’s nearly two-thirds of the $58 million the state GOP collected over the same time period.”
Some right wingers, including Rauner himself, have had the audacity to call public employee unions corrupt because they contribute money to politicians and may happen to sit across from governors they supported at contract negotiations. Rauner spent tens of millions and almost singlehandedly bought a political party.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:27 pm
The reality is one day we will wake up and Madigan won’t be the speaker. When that happens, no one knows. If the GOP thinks whenever that day comes that they’ll be able to walk right over everything that’s been built over 40 years, get a rush of fundraising, they’re in for a splash of cold water. That seems to be their strategy.
The alternative to that is they learn how to recruit, learn how to message, and recognize that a rural base isn’t a base at all. But maybe they enjoy the fundraising table scraps.
Comment by Anon For Now Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:27 pm
=== Democratic governor was impeached & removed 10 years ago yet things got worse for GOP.===
Narrator: Bruce Rauner, with the bought GOP brand defeated a sitting Democratic Governor
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:28 pm
=== === Democratic governor was impeached & removed 10 years ago yet things got worse for GOP.===
In 2009, Rod Blagojevich was impeached
In 2010, Mark Kirk, a Republican, was elected United States Senator
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:34 pm
Nothing stays the same forever. If some people get indicted , they will not be leaving the political science via an election.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:39 pm
=== If some people get indicted , they will not be leaving the political science via an election.===
Ed Burke, indicted, re-elected.
Hope is not a political strategy.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:42 pm
Very misleading. This does not include federal contributions, a much more important bucket to fill.
In 2019, DPI has only raised $3.4k in federal individual contributions. ILGOP has raised $201k.
Comment by FWIW Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:42 pm
I am not surprised. Yes OW, Rauner can be blamed, but the fact is that the “political investor class” i.e. big money donators contribute to those who can move their personal agenda forward. Right now the Republican caucus is in the super minority in both chambers and when you only need 60/30 - This is how the flow of money goes. Cynical I know, but “political investors” do not like to waste money. Right now they would much rather give the money to charity - at least they get the tax right off.
Comment by Former Candidate on the Ballot Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:52 pm
- Former Candidate on the Ballot -
Read my 1:59pm comment. Then get back to me.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:54 pm
OW
Alderman Ed Burke is an extremely special situation. He’s done many, many favors for people in his ward. Alderman Burke also had more money in his campaign fund than Mitch McConnell. Few politicians are in Alderman Ed Burke financial situation. Few politicians can pay a big criminal legal bill and run for re-election and win.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:55 pm
=== Alderman Burke also had more money in his campaign fund than Mitch McConnell.===
The ILGOP is broke. Keep up
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:56 pm
OW
A few of the Democratic socialists won seats on Chicago’s City Council with small budgets . The law of diminishing returns can happen in campaigns. Just ask Proco Joe and Deb Mell and Pat O’Connor.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 3:01 pm
OW - I did - In this situation, when it comes to the flow of money I choose to believe your other point of view is far more relevant - 60/30
Comment by Former Candidate on the Ballot Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 3:03 pm
- Former Candidate on the Ballot -
Ok.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 3:04 pm
=== A few of the Democratic socialists won seats on Chicago’s City Council with small budgets . The law of diminishing returns can happen in campaigns. Just ask Proco Joe and Deb Mell and Pat O’Connor.===
LOL
Do you even *have* candidates?
Friend, this is dorm room thinking. If money didn’t matter in running a statewide organization like the ILGOP, the Raunerite legislators would’ve turned on Rauner in May of 2015
Rauner didn’t want #%*+ problems. Bruce and Diana Rauner put in $50 million to make sure there wasn’t.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 3:13 pm
- Steve -
Who ran, as Republicans, for SoS, Comptroller, and Treasurer in 2018?
No googling.
Why do you think they lost?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 3:17 pm
At $500/hour, MJM has incurred 3000 billable attorney hours in less than 2 years.
Yikes!
Comment by Pick a Name Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 3:35 pm
And in 2010, JBT and Rutherford won statewide offices. Big pick ups for R’s in House and Senate and down ticket races all over the state. Had Bill Brady not lost, (thanks to his campaign manager having him campaign downstate until the very end)-the map and a whole lot would be different. Not even considering had Kirk Dillard pulled 180 more votes in the primary.
Comment by Think before you speak Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 4:59 pm
Was 2010 because of Blagojevich or the national Tea Party/GOP wave or a combination of the 2?
Comment by MyTwoCents Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 5:31 pm
C’mon GOP. Your benefactor leaves with his tail between his legs, and you can’t find money elsewhere?
I thought you were the party of hard work, pulling yourself up by the boot straps.
I’m joking. Obviously that is as big a myth as how your so good at business and reducing debt.
Comment by efudd Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 5:45 pm
“If there are a number of indictments of prominent Democratic politicians the climate of opinion can change quickly.”
With the loathsome character you’ll have at the top of the ballot, you’d best pray for a draw.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 6:07 pm
A year away from the progressive income tax being on the ballot and the GOP can’t find rich donors. What gives?
Comment by Timmeh Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 10:02 pm
Late to the party (something about politics and late nights), but OW @ 1:59 is gold
Comment by Flapdoodle Thursday, Oct 17, 19 @ 12:13 am
Timmeh, 4 possibilities spring to mind, and it’s possible there’s a grain of Truth in all of them:
1. Uihlein is more interested in social/religious causes than he is in economic/fiscal clauses. (I’ve never met the man, fwiw.)
2. Uihlein has cut back on or cut out Proft, et al. (Add your favorite grifter to the list.)
3. Higher income individuals in Illinois lean a little more liberal than conservative, and are willing to pay more income tax? (I personally would love to see how Ken Griffith treats his purchase of the Museum of Science and Industry on his 2019 personal federal and state returns.)
4. With all the talk and economic studies about income inequality, higher income individuals in Illinois are willing to give up a little more in taxes if it means lessening some sort of repeat of the French Revolution.
Comment by Lynn S. Thursday, Oct 17, 19 @ 5:31 am