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* Congressional candidates in tight races have reported their fundraising totals this week. The media has dutifully and accurately reported the activity. For instance…
Quarterly fundraising documents show a tight race for the Metro East congressional district where two candidates are battling to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello.
Democrat Bill Enyart, of Belleville, raised $423,280 in the most recent quarter, while his opponent Republican Jason Plummer, of O’Fallon, Ill., raised $427,622. […]
Over the course of a year, Plummer has raised more than Enyart, taking in about $970,000. Enyart has raised about $643,000, although he first entered the race in June because another Democratic candidate dropped out.
* But that quarterly money - and even the year to date cash - pales in comparison to the outside spending so far…
ENYART, WILLIAM L JR (D)
Office Sought: IL-12 (House)* 2012 election cycle outside spending summary
* Independent expenditures made supporting this candidate: $368,485.84
* Independent expenditures made opposing this candidate: $2,522,241.39
And…
PLUMMER, JASON (R)
Office Sought: IL-12 (House)* 2012 election cycle outside spending summary
* Independent expenditures made supporting this candidate: $30,534.53
* Independent expenditures made opposing this candidate: $980,861.78
As you can see, Enyart is getting hammered a whole lot by more by the independent expenditures than Plummer.
These cash numbers are similar in other congressional races. The outsiders are flooding districts with cash and dwarfing the money raised by candidates. Thank goodness for groups like the Sunlight Foundation, which is helping us track the moolah.
* Meanwhile, the Labor Tribune reports that one of Jason Plummer’s companies used a non-union contractor on a development in Godfrey…
Jason Plummer, the Republican candidate for Congress in the 12th District of Southern Illinois, is well known in the labor community for his anti-union attitudes. Plummer purchased Monticello Plaza here last year through his development company, Midwest Asset Group. When Electricians Local 649 in Alton found out that Plummer had hired Perfection Electric, a nonunion contractor paying less than area standard wages to do the electrical work on a building in the plaza, they put a rat outside the building along with four union electricians to greet plaza customers and drivers along Highway 67. The highway runs between the plaza and Lewis and Clark Community College and a lot of drivers were honking their approval of the rat after it went up on a sunny morning last week.
“We want voters to know that these are the kinds of jobs Plummer is promoting.” said Alan Rubenstein, business manager with Local 649. “ One of the electricians in there is making $12 an hour. Another is making $17. Plummer makes his money with blue collar people who are paid low wages and no benefits.”
Photo from the picket…
* Related…
* Final 12th Congressional debate slated for Friday
* Plummer leads 12th Congressional District fundraising
* Tight Race To Replace Costello In Illinois’ 12th District
* UMWA gives endorsement to Enyart
* Metro-east “First Responders” are set to rally for Enyart, the Dems’ 12th District U.S. House nominee
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 10:41 am
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Here’s what I’d like to see: a reverse engineered poll on the attack ads. This spending gets a ton of coverage despite repeated demonstrations that actual professionals think it’s pretty dumb and ineffective (ie, http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/the-incredibly-dumb-political-spending-of-2012).
So a poll of LVs that actually tests, for example, the message script right out of a Chamber attack ad, THAT would be extremely interesting and relevant to readers and voters. Beyond, like, reporting on whether the ads are remotely true, but baby steps.
Comment by Will Caskey Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 10:48 am
I’ve never understood the union vs. non-union issue, isn’t the most important thing that workers were employed? Even if they choose not to join a union?
I’m not defending Plumber for anything (I doubt he makes those kinds of decisions in his dads company) I just don’t get the rat thing protesting someone getting work because they’re not in a union. Maybe I’m just sensitive because my family relies on my paycheck and I’m not in a union.
Comment by Ahoy! Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 10:49 am
I think there are 2 reasons republicans at the congressional level if they survive are in more danger than they realize going forward with superpacs here.
1. Democrats haven’t really fully engaged with superpacs this year and when they catch up there’s a lot more for that in chicago they can get than there is for republicans.
2. This is the year where there is just an overwhelming amount of fear about obama and enthusiasm and unity about republicans for these donors to write these huge checks and on the democrat side, there’s not a whole lot of excitement about writing major checks to get pelosi speaker again the way there was to get rid of hastert and delay. This will flip and bite hard.
I’ve been surprised plummer hasn’t used as much family $$. His allowance must not be as big this year.
Comment by Shore Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 10:57 am
=I’ve never understood the union vs. non-union issue, isn’t the most important thing that workers were employed? Even if they choose not to join a union?=
Agree.
Comment by Downstater Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 11:29 am
wasn’t there a bill passed in the regular session to quell the tsunani of outside money (SUPERPACS) in IL races?
Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 11:36 am
Loop - Enyart and Plummer are federal candidates. HUGE difference. And in Illinois, outside Super PACs can run ads for or against a candidate so long as the efforts are not coordinated.
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 12:03 pm
The amount of money these Super Pac’s spend is obscene.If the only way to win is with money
our country is in big trouble.
Both parties should change the law.
Comment by mokenavince Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 1:53 pm
TS: That’s too bad cuz this is not my idea of a fair playin’ field…
Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 2:32 pm
“I’ve never understood the union vs. non-union issue, isn’t the most important thing that workers were employed?”
That educated, politically astute people like these CapFax commenters don’t understand the basic economic reality where generally non-union workers drive down wages for all workers and union workers drive up wages all workers just typifies how completely bad at politics the union movement has been the past 30 years. *sigh*
Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 4:34 pm
Union-non union issue might be more clear after reading some Illinois History, about things like Bloody Williamson, Haymarket Square, The Virden Massacre, John L. Lewis ,….. A visit to Mother Jones’s grave site would also be in order.
Comment by x ace Thursday, Oct 18, 12 @ 6:31 pm