Posted by Barton Lorimor

Perhaps one of the more interesting House races last year was for the 101st District (Bob Flider versus Adam Brown). It was also one of the best covered races, as Rich pointed out. Two months after Inauguration Day the Herald & Review is still covering that contest…

In all, Illinois Democrats and Republicans poured $15.4 million into the candidates running for the Illinois House and Illinois Senate. $1.2 million of it went to former state Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, and the man who defeated him, state Rep. Adam Brown, R-Decatur, then a Decatur City Councilman.

David Morrison, deputy director of Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said party leaders’ fervor was likely spurred by the upcoming redistricting process, which will use U.S. Census data to redraw the boundaries of legislative districts. The law grants the majority party greater control over that process.

“This year we saw more big money races and more money from leaders,” Morrison said. “There was far more at stake in this election than usual. Whoever controls the process for the next map can give themselves a huge advantage for ten years.” […]

Of Flider’s $890,000 campaign money, 64 percent came from Democratic groups and leaders, according to the reports.

Flider did not return phone calls seeking comment.

ICPR lists Brown as receiving $675,000 from Republican organizations and Flider receiving $571,000, but the reality is both campaigns also got money from the war chests of other candidates: Brown got $35,000 in sizeable donations from state Reps. Bill Mitchell, Ron Stephens, Roger Eddy, and Jim Watson, among others.

Flider, as you may know, was recently hired by a nonprofit overseeing the state’s broadband Internet service. Subscribers know a bit more.

Speaking of Rep. Brown…

Freshman lawmakers inherited a multi-billion dollar budget deficit. And as they reached the spring legislative session’s mid-way point, they gave their views on their short tenure in the General Assembly.

Freshman State Rep. Adam Brown, R-Decatur, said his priority is getting the budget aligned.

“I believe the light at the end of the tunnel is that we’ve got some fresh faces,” Brown said. “We’ve got us 20-plus new members with fresh ideas and new perspectives, and I think that blends well with the experience that we’ve had in the statehouse before. So I think headway is being made, but progress is going to be made very slow as well.”

See what $1.2 million buys?

And here’s today’s campaign round-up…

* Big Turnout For Early Voting In City, Suburbs

* Progressives Start Their Own 501(c)4

* 46th Ward aldermanic race takes nasty turn

* Stone, Silverstein Make Rogers Park Look Bad

* 17 candidates for mayor, council discuss their plans for South Beloit

* Stocks-Smith: Don’t expect rerun of Davlin administration

* All 4 mayoral candidates meet in broadcast debate

* Schoenburg: Realtors’ poll has Houston in the lead

* SJ-R: Elect Edwards, Turner to council

* Ward 7 candidates debate idea of city inspector general

* Tozer, Cahnman clash over Cahnman’s fitness for office

* Journal-Star: Peoria District 150 School Board, District 3 endorsement: Cloyd

* Five-term incumbent squares of against challenger in 7th Ward

* Ward 2 hopefuls aim to save with policy, program changes

* Ward 4 candidates differ on specific infrastructure needs

* Ritzel announces endorsement of Haynes