Moneywise, it’s no contest
Thursday, Jan 16, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bruce Rauner raised $4.1 million during the fourth quarter. Most of that was spent on TV ads…
Republican governor candidate Bruce Rauner poured $3.2 million into advertising during the final three months of last year, far outraising and outspending his three rivals for the March 18 nomination, campaign disclosure reports show.
Rauner spent more than he raised, but he’s a kabillionaire and can afford it. Not so much for Kirk Dillard.
* Check out the burn rate for a campaign that has done almost nothing except, well, I’m not sure what…
Dillard, of Hinsdale, who lost the 2010 nomination to Brady by 193 votes, reported raising $328,700 in the two funds he controls during the last three months of 2013. He spent $389,555, leaving $144,866 in cash to start the year. He has raised $6,000 since Jan. 1, but he also is carrying a $50,000 personal debt in one of his campaign funds.
He barely has enough in his account to pay January’s overhead expenses. Not good.
* Dan Rutherford is the only candidate in a financial position to make a major run if Rauner stumbles or is knocked off his throne…
Rutherford brought in $393,000 during the final three months of 2013. The more than $1.37 million in his political fund as of Dec. 31, leaves Rutherford as the only other candidate positioned to purchase some TV time before the March 18 primary.
* Oy…
State Sen. Bill Brady, one of four Republican candidates for governor, drew in $74,000 during the last three months of 2013, his campaign revealed Wednesday.
* And speaking of hilariously awful fundraising, check out Grogan’s numbers…
Republican candidate for treasurer Tom Cross had shown more than $327,000 in receipts and $388,000 cash on hand in his campaign fund, and primary competitor Bob Grogan reported raising $9,749 last period, closing out his fund with a total of $21,087.
Grogan, by the way, loaned his campaign $50,000 on the last day of the third quarter to inflate his numbers, then paid off his loan just four days later, after the quarter ended, which means immediate disclosure was not required. A very old trick.
- From the 'Dale to HP - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:05 am:
Dillard should drop out and get on Rutherford’s good side now. This is just getting silly on Dillard’s end; it’s not happening.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:07 am:
The story on Rauner is not his personal fortune, but how he’s dominated the network of traditional GOP donors.
The Usual Suspect moneybags are all-in for Rauner. Dilllard and Brady are virtually shut out.
Rutherford has some money, but he’s going to have to spend a lot on image spots for himself. I doubt he’ll have much to go negative on Rauner. And, if need be, Rauner will have plenty to go negative on him.
If you’re Rauner, you have to be very happy where you are today. The other three guys might not be able to lay a glove on him with paid media.
- Whatever - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:08 am:
Dillard’s burn rate is astounding, especially when you see that gaggle of “consultants” he’s paying every month for…..??
- Norseman - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:09 am:
Word is right on target.
As Willy likes to point out, the others need to have a better ground game to even have a chance.
- SAP - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:12 am:
Why is Dillard still in the race? Isn’t he better off throwing his support to Rutherford, hoping for a miracle, and becoming an agency head?
- Smoggie - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:15 am:
Rutherford is in a bit of bind.
Realistically, he needs to attack Rauner (especially on ties to Rahm) to knock off Rauner.
However, since he is going to the only one with the money to do so, he might get smeared in the process. Voter tend not to like the guy going negative, even if it may get them to vote against the target of the negative ads.
I don’t believe that Dillard has credibility with the GOP core, due to his ties to Barack. He can pander to the social conservatives all day, and while they may have appreciated his votes in Springfield, I just don’t see them voting for him.
That leaves Boring Bill Brady as the last man standing. He can meander about, stay away from things, and end up as the nominee.
And then of course he will go on to lose to Quinn again, but that’s another story.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:17 am:
Dillard and Brady should drop out, if only their egos would allow this.
Rutherford has a chance if all support Rauner hasn’t captured went to him.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:21 am:
Money game is all but over, Dillard’s burn rate is awful for ROI for the donors.
Thanks, - Norseman -, still say winning this in the precincts, on a message through a prism of Payton Prep and other things, and “hope” (lol) that the “2PAC” can lob enough air cover to make Rauner a carcass to be dragged over, and his prism be the engine.
Grogan, yikes, dude, call Jason Plummer for some cash already! You can keep rolling on personal loans like Jason or Bruce
- Mokenavince - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:24 am:
Remember the Golden Rule the one with the Gold Rules. Rauner by 10 lengths. Scratch Dil-lard and
Brady.
- Purple Foxx - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:26 am:
Wait??? So Grogran CPA is using accounting tricks to inflate revenues!!!
That guy is priceless. Bobby Big Bucks.
- Downstater - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:27 am:
Payton Prep! Not an issue, since the other candidates, other than Rutherford, have no money to tell the voters about it.
What’s this near obsession, with Jason Plummer?
- Oswego Lite - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:28 am:
I’m a Democratic primary voter. I sure hope that the current four-horse contest in the GOP race for Governor continues and Rauner wins. I don’t care what money he spends, Quinn will be able to raise and spend enough to get the message out to enough voters to beat Rauner fairly comfortably in November. If the GOP had its act together Dillard and maybe even Brady would cut a deal, withdraw, and support Rutherford. Although I still think Quinn beats Rutherford it would be a MUCH tougher slog. Is it too late to withdraw and have your name off the primary ballot?
And it appears that Quinn has really sharpened his fundraising chops from 2010. Good for him.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:36 am:
Welcome - Oswego Lite -!
Plummer is like Oliver was in the Brady Bunch, he make me laugh
- Rahm'sMiddleFinger - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:55 am:
This is truly embarrassing for Dillard and Brady. Dillard clearly isn’t trying. Brady, even less so.
How can they look anyone who has given money in the eye? If they really think Rauner is so bad, why not work harder?
Total and complete joke. Shame on them for taking something so serious so lightly.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:56 am:
- Downstater -,
Loads of people are talking about Payton Prep, might even lead to #Raunering.
Bruce Rauner, according to Bernie, lied to Bernie, and reading Bernie, and how it went down, lied seems accurate.
Can’t wish away lying to the press, or Clouting through a Rich Daley appointee, and the “Donation” and being denied, from New Trier.
Can’t
- Downstater - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 12:17 pm:
=Loads of people are talking about Payton Prep=
Maybe on this blog and occasionally in the newspaper, but ask 10 Republican primary voters about Payton Prep and you get a deer in the headlights look. Without someone having money to get the word out, NOT many primary votes will know. Then they are going to starting seeing more TV ads and mailers from Rauner and form their opinions. You can hope and wish all you want, but ain’t going to happen. Rauner’s biggest issue is having Dillard and Brady drop out and endorse Rutherford. Don’t see that happening either. As far as lying to the press, name me a politician who hasn’t lied to the press?
- ZC - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 12:22 pm:
So essentially what we are seeing here is a leveraged buyout of a mature but distressed firm (the IL Republican party), one still with considerable assets and great brand recognition, with the promise of a turnaround. But also rumors of a rebellion among some of the firm’s current shareholders, who fear where their new owners may take the firm, but right now it doesn’t look like they may be able to muster the cash to prevent a somewhat-hostile takeover.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 12:23 pm:
–As far as lying to the press, name me a politician who hasn’t lied to the press? –
–”I ain’t a politician.” Rauner, at today’s forum.–
I guess that just makes him a liar.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 12:30 pm:
- Downstater -,
I can only do what I can do.
The issue has legs, Bernie shows he lied to him, it’s up to others to go farther, do more, and impact this race.
Get one of the “3″ to hire AWillyWord Con$ulting!
(That is a mocking of both Dillard’s expenses and burn rate AND Rauner’s too. Not a suggestion$
- child games - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 12:51 pm:
What is Cross spending $472,000 in 6 months on for his completely lackluster campaign?
- Downstater - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 12:55 pm:
From Crain’s Business Jan. 16
Joining Mr. Rauner’s communications shop effective next week will be Lance Trover, a longtime veteran of Illinois politics who most recently has worked for U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., the state’s ranking Republican.Mr. Trover also worked for Mr. Kirk during his campaign for the Senate against Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and served as spokesman for the Illinois Republican Party. In between, he was deputy communications director for the National Republican Senate Committee.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 12:56 pm:
Dillard spent more than 125k per month but not a penny on media? Wow - the mind reels at the political malpractice. If he had difficulty raising money before, wait until his donors learn that! Just wow.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 1:00 pm:
- Downstater -,
Ok, what was your point with the Lance bio?
No snark, what was the point?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 1:16 pm:
===Dillard spent more than 125k per month but not a penny on media?===
Did you think all those endorsements from right wing groups were free?
- econ prof - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 1:41 pm:
It’s too bad for Grogan that he wasn’t able to raid the HRO account for $175,000 and the HRO staff to run his campaign like Cross did. Is Cross planning to pay that money back, or will this just be another part of his legacy as the Super-minority Leader?
- Powell - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 2:04 pm:
econ prof-
if your title befits your experience, it would be a better use of your time to assist the CPA in not over-reporting assets. That’s a big no-no in the accounting world.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 2:07 pm:
@Downstater - I think you were right about the Payton Prep issue BEFORE this week not having any traction, but I think the revelations about his CPS donations and Rauner actually responding in radio interviews and other media gave it more free media oxygen so that it is finally seeping in.
For example, I told my mother (a GOP primary voter) about Payton Prep months ago in passing when a discussion about Rauner’s commercials came up. But it was only after she heard on the news/radio that he had donated $250,000 to the school after they put his daughter in the school that the story sunk in for her where she wanted to ask me “Did you hear about this Rauner guy?”
I think just anecdotally this also may show what Rauner’s rivals need to highlight to make this all stick the most. The idea of buying a spot in a school ties into voter fears about a rich guy trying to buy office. But obsessing about an Arne Duncan phone call may not penetrate simply because 9 out of 10 voters don’t even know who Arne Duncan is and the stuff about a phone call just sounds like standard political favor stuff.
- Henry Clay - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 5:56 pm:
Brady is reminiscent of the guy who has been down on his luck(financially) lately. His neighbors and family know that he has a rich uncle who loved him and is on his last legs. They all know that he is soon going to come into an anticipated windfall when his uncle passes away on and about March 18th but they still aren’t willing to give him any respect or credit until after the old geezer dies.
Brady will have a spigot from which money readily flows “once he wins in the GOP primary”. It is erroneous thinking to believe that Brady (or any other of the 3 GOP candidates) won’t have the necessary campaign funding to take on Pat Quinn after winning the March 18, 2014 GOP Primary. Most of the GOP voters are just waiting to see who the winning horse is on 3/18/2014 before they loosen their wallets to get rid of Pat Quinn. Much like the “Field of Dreams” concept—after the March 18th Primary “Build it and they will come”.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 6:26 pm:
–Most of the GOP voters are just waiting to see who the winning horse is on 3/18/2014 before they loosen their wallets to get rid of Pat Quinn.–
Check out Rauner’s reports. Lot of loose wallets for him right now — four, five, six-figure checks, a lot of it from Illinois. He’s not just spending his own money.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 10:38 pm:
There’s really something interesting going on in the Illinois GOP.
How did a hustler like Rauner just walk in and run the table on GOP money? Agan, he’s not just running on his own money; he’s hoovering up all the money from traditional GOP contributors.
I’m sure that’s the question that Brady, Dillard and Rutherford are asking.
Those guys have been in the GOP establishment for decades. How did they not lock down some support? How did they let this happen?
I suspect it has something to do with the incredible atrophy of the GOP state infrastructure over the last 20 years or so.
The state party is a paper tiger.
The Cook County organization is a joke. How is that possible? The phrase “Reagan Democrat” was coined in Cook County. You have knuckleheads talking about how many counties they won when they lose elections and ignore the greatest source of GOP votes.
And Democrats are hustling and expanding farther out into Lake, Will and DuPage. That should be alarming to any Republican.
I’ve lived all over the state. Illinois is not a “blue” state, by any means. I can take you to taverns in the Loop where a majority openly curse Obama when he pops up on the news. It’s the same all over.
My conclusion is that after Big Jim and Little Jim left, and Ryan got in trouble, the whole GOP apparatus just fell apart and no one has put it back together.
The GOP of my younger years has just been outworked. No crying when you’re outhustled.
And every day it looks like Rauner is the money boys’ Hail Mary to try to get back in the game.
That must burn Dillard, Rutherford and Brady. But if those guys had been working all those years to build a state organization that included Cook, they wouldn’t be in this position.
That would take work. And let’s face it, the Illinois GOP ain’t exactly a ball of fire when it comes to work. Incredibly lazy.
- child games - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 9:24 am:
Dillard’s dough has to be merged with Jil Tracy who has 2 of her own accounts. They run as a team and together it looks like they raised more than Rutherford last quarter.
- truth hurts sometimes - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 9:57 am:
If you add Jil Tracy’s fundraising with Dillard’s, they together raised over $550,000, well above the other candidates in the race except gazillonaire Bruce Rauner.