The Democratic primary will proceed… sorta
Thursday, Jan 16, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the twitters…
* But unless he can raise any real money, Hardiman’s campaign appears quite doomed…
Gov. Pat Quinn has banked about $4.5 million for his re-election bid.
Campaign finance reports filed late Wednesday show the Chicago Democrat raised about $1.9 million in the final quarter of last year. His biggest donations came from labor unions. […]
Tio Hardiman of Hillside is challenging Quinn in the Democratic primary. Hardiman raised about $15,000 in the same three-month period. He finished 2013 with about $550 in his campaign account.
It’s worse than the AP story indicates. All but about two grand of that $15K was via loans from Hardiman himself.
- DuPage - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 10:21 am:
Hardiman WHO?
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 10:33 am:
Why would you put your own money into such a run? What’s the ROI?
- walker - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 10:45 am:
Why?
We will somehow recall the name when he decides to run for something attainable.
And he might just get it paid back some day.
- John A Logan - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 10:55 am:
One of the more “interesting” aspects of Hardiman’s campaign is his proposal to create two “Pension Bailout Boats”, or more directly, two casinos run by the state where all the revenue brought in would go into the pension fund. I would guess those would be some pretty tight slots. No chance of corruption there….
- Cassiopeia - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 10:57 am:
Not having an opponent in the primary may mean that anti-Quinn Democrats can vote in the Republican primary.
Just the first thought that popped into my head…
- dupage dan - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:01 am:
Who would those anti-Quinn folks vote for, Cassiopeia? Rauner (heaven forbid)?
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:56 am:
Good to see.
Even if one does not think much of Hardiman, it is a positive thing that he will have the chance to speak up.
For better, or more likely, worse.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 11:59 am:
On second thought, @Cassiopeia makes an interesting point.
Plenty of anti-Quinn Democrats from labor, as well as moderates from other branches, may have crossed over to vote for Dillard or Rutherford without a Quinn opponent. They still may.
- Hans Sanity - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 12:45 pm:
With that kind of money Tio could get upper-deck outfield corner seating for 4 seven game partial season-ticket plans and join me at The Cell.
Right field side, Tio.
- Jaded - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 2:30 pm:
The Illinois Republican Party and the RGA should spend every dime it has to encourage Republicans to cross over and vote for Hardiman in the Dem primary election. It may be the only chance they have to elect a Republican Governor in November.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 3:28 pm:
Hardiman isn’t going to win, but it will be interesting to see his numbers, particularly in downstate counties where Quinn is highly unpopular. We might have a bit of a Keith Judd situation.
- Mighty M. Mouse - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 4:16 pm:
You never know who might vote in what primary, or why. Just sayin’… (I’m being folksy, like Bruce, by droppin’ my “g’s”.)
- Juvenal - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 5:02 pm:
Crossover voting is not nearly as big a factor as the fact that atleast a quarter of government employees are republicans. Among retirees, it is probably slightly higher.
Brady voted for pension reform. Rauner says it doesnt go far enough. Dillard is all over the map. Rutherford called it clearly Unconstitutional.
I am guessing public employees will see a pretty clear choice.
Second to that will be Independents who are public employees pulling a primary ballot for the first time.
Some Democrats might xrossover to vote against Rauner, but expect the totals will be small in comparison.
- Just The Way It Is One - Thursday, Jan 16, 14 @ 8:50 pm:
Well, with this development, even though Tio has EVERY right to go for it, I’m sure Pat Quinn will be tossin’ and turnin’ in his sleep tonight being worried just sick over this…NOT!!
And yet, if Tio does somehow sneak out of the Primary with something over say, oh, 20-25%, just due to that inevitable contingent of Quinn Naysayers who’ll vote against him no matter what, that could actually look kind of embarrassing a little to the Governor, and could perhaps even provide a few drops of fuel and a bit of a spark of meager hope for his Republican opponent in terms of making our Populist Governor seem even a tish vulnerable perhaps for the General…!(?) (Plus, it might be a decent and fun “Question of the Day” topic at some point between now and Primary day–just what WILL Tio’s % turn-out to be…?)