* Rep. Jack Franks, who wants to run for governor as a Democrat, just called to say his campaign committee will report raising a little over $1.3 million in the last six months. His campaign fund has about $1.4 million in the bank, Franks said, adding that $150,000 of the total raised is a loan from himself.

That certainly makes him a player.

* Monday is the campaign finance report filing deadline, and you can watch them come in at this link if you’ve got nothing better to do over the weekend.

* A few reports of note, starting with Chicago Alderman Ed Burke…

Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period $3,794,862.62
Total Receipts $110,010.60
Subtotal $3,904,873.22
Total Expenditures $220,634.52
Funds available at the close of the reporting period $3,684,238.70

Investment Total $1,987,118.48

Add the investment total to available funds for all the money he has. Quite a lot.

* IPACE, which is the Illinois Education Association’s PAC…

Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period $1,556,492.43
Total Receipts $2,419,631.86
Subtotal $3,976,124.29
Total Expenditures $1,736,596.22
Funds available at the close of the reporting period $2,239,528.07

* The pro-choice Personal PAC…

Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period $748,866.95
Total Receipts $101,027.35
Subtotal $849,894.30
Total Expenditures $269,451.73
Funds available at the close of the reporting period $580,442.57

…Adding… In other political news, more political nepotism…

Former Ald. Billy Ocasio said today he wants his wife to succeed him as 26th Ward alderman, and he has withdrawn his recommendation of a controversial minister as his replacement.

Ocasio told the Tribune today that Mayor Richard Daley has interviewed his wife, Veronica Ocasio, for the opening created when he quit the City Council recently to become an aide to Gov. Patrick Quinn.

Veronica Ocasio is an aide to U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.). When Gutierrez was elected to Congress in 1993, Daley appointed Ocasio to fill the vacancy on the council. […]

Gay rights activists had opposed the potential appointment of Rev. Wilfredo DeJesus, citing his comments about gays. Today, Ocasio said DeJesus dropped out of consideration because he does not live in the 26th Ward.

I told you several days ago that DeJesus didn’t live in the ward.

…Adding more… I forgot to mention that Rod Blagojevich’s campaign filed a report verifying that he emptied out his campaign fund due to a federal restraining order. All the cash was turned over to the federal clerk of the court. The D2 report is here and the letter explaining the action is here.