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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
As Illinois slowly begins the reopening process, some state legislators have decided to start hosting in-person fundraisers.
For the past few months, most legislative incumbents and challengers have abandoned fundraising. The global pandemic, accompanied by an international economic crash, made the idea of raising campaign money seem crass, inappropriate and even dangerous.
Eventually, some folks began hosting online fundraisers. It’s an election year, after all, and elections cost money. So, for a price, contributors could pay for a password to attend Zoom events and support their candidates of choice.
Several candidates also began dialing for dollars. But April was not a good month for campaigns. $2.87 million in A-1 reports (contributions of $1,000 or over) were filed in April. That’s about a third of the $7.7 million reported in April of 2016, a similar election cycle.
Just $3.6 million in A-1 contributions were reported this May, which is about a fifth of the $15.5 million reported in May of 2016.
June’s A-1s were showing $1.8 million on June 18, which is well below the $8.2 million reported during the same period four years ago.
If all goes well, the governor’s reopening plan will allow for gatherings of up to 50 people (far more than the current 10) starting June 26, and some politicos are taking advantage.
Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) hosts an annual golf outing to mark her birthday. This year’s fundraiser is tentatively scheduled for July 28 at Gleneagles Country Club in Lemont. Tickets range from $750 for a foursome to $5,000 for a “platinum sponsorship.”
“We’re not doing anything inside,” Rep. Hernandez told me. She said she usually has a dinner during what had been an all-day event, but not this year. She’ll still have a margarita tent set up at the 9th hole and food will be available, but nothing inside.
The Pritzker administration released detailed Phase 3 golfing guidelines in late May, which, among other things, permitted foursomes and restricted golf carts to just one person unless riders were from the same household. Phase 4 golfing guidelines had not yet been issued when I spoke with Hernandez, and she said she’ll need to wait until that happens before she can finalize her preparations.
Rep. Hernandez will not be the first legislator to hold an in-person fundraising event since the crisis began.
I checked around and it looks like Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) might be the first to try to go back to in-person fundraising. Rep. Spain’s golf outing is scheduled for July 13, according to the House Republican Organization.
Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady has a Springfield fundraiser scheduled two days later at a popular local beer garden.
“All CDC social distancing guidelines will be strictly followed,” reads the Brady event invite. Tickets, ranging in price from $250 to $10,000, will therefore be limited, the invite notes.
Rep. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) has a golf outing on July 30. Democratic Sens. Dave Koehler and Tony Munoz are holding August events. Republican Sens. Jason Barickman, Don Dewitte and Sue Rezin are also holding August events. Several other folks are likely to schedule events in August and September, numerous sources say.
But will people show up? Rep. Hernandez, for one, says she’s not worried if people decide not to come. “If it’s a small group, it’s small,” she said. “It’s OK.” Hernandez has no general election opponent. Money is tight, so her event may well be on the small side.
Outdoor events like the one Hernandez is planning are undoubtedly much safer than indoor events. And wearing masks really does work to halt the spread of COVID-19. Hospitalizations are a two-to-three week lagging indicator, and three weeks after the massive civil rights protests began, Illinois hospitalizations were actually declining. That’s probably because most protesters wore face coverings.
But make no mistake, there is real risk here, albeit relatively small for outdoor gatherings. If somebody catches the virus at a campaign fundraiser, the unlucky candidate is gonna be in for some absolutely horrible publicity.
The state has pushed the virus curve down so low that the risks of overrunning our hospitals with sick patients are no longer immediately dire. So, go for it if you want.
Just please be careful out there. You cannot possibly raise enough money to overcome the negative publicity of spreading the virus (and possibly killing people) at your event. Strictly police your fundraiser to make sure you don’t wind up a casualty yourself, physically and/or politically. It just ain’t worth it.
Since I wrote that, the Senate GOP updated their website to add Senate candidate Rep. Terri Bryant’s July 9 fundraiser. So, she could be the first.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 9:08 am
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I wonder if Hernandez took the old Sandoval outing date sans the Trump masks of course
Comment by Regular democrat Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 9:41 am
I’m sure they’ll all be wearing masks and observing proper social distancing at Representative Bryant’s pox party.
===Just please be careful out there. You cannot possibly raise enough money to overcome the negative publicity of spreading the virus (and possibly killing people) at your event===
Oh how I wished that I believed that this would be how it played in Peoria.
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 9:51 am
A better question is of all the industries that closed doors, laid off workers, etc., which one’s will jump right back into making political donations?
Comment by May Soon Be Required Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 9:53 am
I give the over/under of attendees at Bryant’s fundraiser wearing masks at 5%.
Their lord and savior has told them all’s well.
His talking monkey masquerading as a good Christian echoed the same at a Winnebago factory.
S’all good.
Comment by efudd Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 9:54 am
===attendees at Bryant’s fundraiser wearing masks===
It’s outside. So, if people keep their distance, there’s no dire need for masks.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 9:56 am
“So, if people keep their distance”
All due respect, Rich, I’m down here.
That six feet thing, yeah, no.
Comment by efudd Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 9:59 am
The United States has been hurt most by the foolish;
I’m too Macho to wear a mask
Masks are for the “weak minded”
If I get it, I get it.
It goes on and on.
Politicizing masks by the Trumpkins has hurt the lives of the most vulnerable, some of these even those same Trumpkins.
To that, and this column,
Rich covers a lot of ground, the monies necessary for campaigns are not going change and fundraising is a necessary evil… but at what cost do you raise the money?
The ridiculous Trumpkins will want to show themselves as “tough” by thinking a political fundraiser *is* a great place to make a political statement on masks… even as those masks never should be politicized at all.
Attorney General Raoul is infected and is fighting off Covid-19. I wish him an easy and speedy recovery.
Does one want to have that fundraiser where the attendees learn infections happened… and no social distancing and masks were “required”?
Right now the dangers still exist, there are no guarantees, but you can guarantee too… no monies in the campaign funds means a better chance at defeat.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 10:02 am
What happened this weekend in Tulsa was so irresponsible. Luckily the rally was poorly attended. Next the president plans on having a megachurch rally in Arizona. What could possibly go wrong in a large indoor congregate setting, especially when safety measures are not required?
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 10:04 am
=Next the president plans on having a megachurch rally in Arizona.=
Arizona is perilously close to being the first state to experience the worst case scenario. That is having to turn away sick and dying patients due to a lack of hospital beds and ICU availability. An indoor rally could make this a reality. It’s launching a boat in the midst of a hurricane.
Comment by Pundent Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 11:04 am
===It’s outside. So, if people keep their distance, there’s no dire need for masks. ===
Being outside isn’t magic and those tactics are for mitigating risk, not completely eliminating it.
But who knows, maybe they’ll all get together and show a surprising amount of caution and good judgement.
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 11:41 am
“Hernandez has no general election opponent.”
Forgive the dumb question, but why is someone without an opponent raising money? Just to have it in the bank for the next election?
Comment by Techie Monday, Jun 22, 20 @ 2:17 pm