* He’s still trailing Sen. Frerichs in cash on hand by at least two to one, but this was a pretty good quarter for Tom Cross. From a press release…
Illinois State Representative and Republican candidate for Illinois State Treasurer Tom Cross announced that his campaign raised over $555,000 in the second quarter, significantly more than any past fundraising performance by his opponent, Democrat Mike Frerichs.
“The overwhelming support and investment in our efforts to balance the budget, hold the line on taxes, and crack down on fraud and corruption is energizing Illinois voters,” said Cross. “The simple truth is that our campaign has strong momentum and great energy heading into the final four months.”
Since entering the race last September:
· 2,201 donors have contributed to Cross for Treasurer
· 65 Illinois counties have donors that have contributed to Cross for Treasurer
· $121,658 has been raised online for Cross for Treasurer
Cross will also file with over $500,000 cash-on-hand. Looking forward, the Cross campaign has 41 finance events scheduled for the third quarter.
In addition to the strong fundraising infrastructure and performance, Cross has led Frerichs in every public poll conducted on the general election contest. Most recently, a June 17th Reboot/We Ask America poll had Cross leading Frerichs 42-35.
Frerichs has reported about a quarter million dollars raised via his A-1 reports.
* Meanwhile, an unfortunate tweet…
That doesn’t look much like a “great event.”
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:25 am:
Well when you speak after Sheila and her 45 minute tribute to Up With People on the Banjo the room tends to have a fewer folks.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:26 am:
It’s just like church, nobody wants to sit in the front rows.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:29 am:
That’s a lot of golf, Tom.
@FakeMikeFrerichs - I tweet all kinds of stuff, and like my record, depending on the day, I may not describe it accurately. #PictureWorthAbout7People
- Neiled It - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:30 am:
If you need another laugh on Mike don’t overlook this post.
http://www.iltruthteam.com/2014/07/hold-your-own-sign-they-said-itll-be.html
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:31 am:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - not fair @capitolfax. The room was busting at the seams, then I spoke, then the picture. #GetTheImage #WalkingOutWalkingTall
- Angry Chicagoan - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:34 am:
God, does that DeWitt county meeting look depressing. I hate to say this but I wonder if it says as much about the state of our small towns as it does about the state of the candidate.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:36 am:
Even worse, half the crowd was there because they thought it was Bingo night
- Former State Employee - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:39 am:
That might be the total number of Democrats in DeWitt County.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:42 am:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - I will go anywhere, anytime, anyplace where 2 people are guaranteed to attend. Don’t believe me, here is a picture! #DesperateForUnderExposure
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:47 am:
“If I stare off camera instead of looking towards the audience, maybe with the right camera angle it’ll look like more than 4 people are here.”
- Brexton Isaacs - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:47 am:
Actually, if you look here, there were quite a few people, just not in that picture. https://www.facebook.com/mikeforillinois/posts/10152246415276961
- Been There - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:48 am:
Fun With Numbers.
Well, there are only 16,500 residents of DeWitt. And out of the 5700 or so voters in the last Gov election, Quinn only pulled 23%. So as a percentage of actual Democrats that actually may be a great event for that county.
To put it in perspective lets say there were actually 10 people at the event. That would be .7% of the Dems who voted in DeWitt in 2010. That same percentage of the 900,000 who voted in Cook would equal 6,300 which everyone would agree would be considered a huge event anywhere.
So I am going to agree with Mike and call it a great event.
- Been There - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:51 am:
After looking at Braxton’s picture I would say there might have been 20 people there. So up the Cook Co equivalent to a 12,000 person event.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:52 am:
=== So up the Cook Co equivalent to a 12,000 person event.===
LOLOL.
Apparently, we have a new type of bot on the blog.
- Cynical Realist - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:53 am:
[This person is banned for life.]
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 9:56 am:
===Actually, if you look here, there were quite a few people, just not in that picture.===
“Actually, if you look here, there were quite a few people, just not in that picture…yeah…and then Mike Frerichs spoke…he spoke … This thing on?”
Look, the amateur hour run of Mike Frerichs continues to annoy. What dope thought a picture of “3″ people should be tweeted, and further, described as it was in the tweet?
It’s not that Mike Frerichs is the most annoying, it’s that Mike Frerichs is running such an amateur hour Crew that allows multiple “rollouts” , a lack of knowing his own record, grandstanding and glomming, and dopey tweets like this, embarrassing the reader to think, “Am I missing something or is he excited about an empty room that was tweeted?”
Mike Frerichs’ stock is plummeting the more he exposes how green he is to getting a seat at the Big Kid’s table.
Pathetic … and annoying.
- Ty Webb - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 10:10 am:
“Tax hike Mike”..add to the list, yoga… really??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIO4HBagG34
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 10:11 am:
Half thought is was for Bingo, the other half (4 people) heard “some Bozo is at the bingo hall”
- Almost the Weekend - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 10:13 am:
Not the first time his tweeter feed has had made mistakes…
https://twitter.com/MikeforIllinois/status/362310182140788737/photo/1
- Been There - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 10:13 am:
===Apparently, we have a new type of bot on the blog. ====
Wait until you see what I do with his fundraising numbers.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 10:52 am:
I wonder if it says as much about the state of our small towns as it does about the state of the candidate?
Right. The problem is with those thousands of towns - not the candidate!
If those towns knew what they were missing in meeting is candidate - they would be rooting and cheering and ecstatic! Mr. Frerichs is a real barn burner that small town crowds ought to really get excited about.
So - there is something wrong with those towns!
- Apocolypse Now - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 11:07 am:
“Hey? Yes You! Walking towards the door.” There are lots of seats right up front. I told you, if you stayed there would be free food and drinks.
- ChrisB - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 11:09 am:
That’s what you get when you schedule an event at 4:30.
Don’t mess with dinner time.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 11:39 am:
Fake Frerichs Campaign Statement: “Don’t blame our candidate. Ann Callis drove them out with her boring speech.”
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 11:49 am:
Why are you heading to the door sir?
I was told there would be punch and pie…
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 11:52 am:
(h/t to - Norseman) …
@FakeMikeFrerichs - this picture is what happens when your opening act bombs. #TomDriesenSheAint.
Oooh, - OneMan -, did you say “pie”?
- dogboy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 12:12 pm:
Cross is growing desperate as Big Mike stands tall for Illinois.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 12:16 pm:
===Cross is growing desperate as Big Mike stands tall for Illinois.===
Another example; Amateur Hour.
Even if this is mocking, it’s the Dopey image that is so annoying, that stands…for nothing.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 12:20 pm:
I find it hard to believe that anyone would show up at event for a treasurer’s candidate, unless there was free beer or something.
You have to be some hardcore, mainline political junkie for that. You’ll never get that time back.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 12:22 pm:
Partial to the guy in the gray jacket who appears to be just casually walking away.
That makes it look like the table full of cookies and pizza over in the corner is more interesting than anything Sen. Frerichs might have to say.
- walker - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 12:23 pm:
Not enough sense to pass on a photo showing almost no turnout?
Head in the clouds much?
- dogboy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 12:51 pm:
Willy,
What it stands for is Illinois voters prefer tall candidates. Think Jim Thompson or Abe Lincoln. Duhhh.
Why would anyone vote for a dumpy candidate when they can vote for a man of great stature? You might not like it Willy, but Obama is also a lot taller than Cross. While short is ok for the Illinois House it will not do in the Illinois Treasurer’s Office.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 12:55 pm:
- dogboy -,
Illinois elected “Little Jim”…
- Res Publican - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 12:59 pm:
-dogboy-,
Rahm Emanuel
- face planted - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 1:02 pm:
Under this logic Robert Wadlow should have been governor.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 1:12 pm:
I bet everyone who attended is still there waiting for the next presentation on Credit card fraud.
- Anon - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 2:43 pm:
=== “The overwhelming support and investment in our efforts to balance the budget, hold the line on taxes, and crack down on fraud and corruption is energizing Illinois voters,” said Cross. ===
The “simple truth” is the treasurer has no role in balancing the state budget, holding the line on taxes, or cracking down on political fraud and corruption. It’s telling that Cross isn’t running on a platform about what he really could accomplish.
- Anon - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 2:45 pm:
Besides, if Rauner and Cross both win, the new treasurer would be less of a watchdog than a lap dog.
- steve schnorf - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 3:45 pm:
I certainly support Tom Cross, will vote for him, and expect him to make a good Treasurer. In fact, I think he will very much come in to his own, freed from trying to hold together a rather disparate caucus. But I’ve also always thought Frerichs to be a pretty good elected official. He’s bright, appears to represent his district well, doesn’t seem to be an ideologue of any sort, so I don’t understand all the criticism. What don’t I know?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 4:48 pm:
Geesh. Cut the guy some slack.
This is DeWitt County we’re talking about. Quinn barely broke 200 votes in the county in the primary. At 23 precincts, there are just not many votes there, let alone Democratic voters.
So yeah, when you are a Democratic candidate and you show up at a precinct committeeman’s meeting in Clinton, Illinois, and the committeemen not only outnumber your staff but less than half are on oxygen or in a wheelchair, it is a “great” event.
And you tweet it because 99.9% of your twitter followers are supporters and you want them to know 1) how hard you are working and 2) how much you appreciate their volunteerism.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 4:53 pm:
===. What don’t I know? ===
@Schnorf:
Oswego Willy is Dave Dring.
LOL
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 9, 14 @ 5:03 pm:
I’m not Dave Dring, but I do like a Seersucker Suit too. No snark.
- Downstate - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 2:03 pm:
Frerichs has bought into the Chicago media consultant style campaign … spend it all with the Chicago consultants but not downstate (It’s called penny-wise, pound-foolish