Today’s number: $5.2 million
Thursday, May 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Republican governor candidate Bruce Rauner has now crossed the $20 million mark for campaign contributions since launching his campaign in March 2013.
The latest disclosure report Rauner filed with the State Board of Elections showed $365,000 in new donations, bringing his campaign’s total take to more than $20.2 million. Of that, nearly $6.6 million has come from Rauner himself.
Rauner, a wealthy equity investor from Winnetka, has raised more than $5.2 million, since winning a four-way primary for the Republican nomination for governor on March 18. That includes $1.5 million from the Republican Governors Association and $526,000 Rauner gave to his campaign.
Gov. Quinn reported $8.9 million on hand at the end of March. He’s raised less than $100,000 since then.
- Rahm's Middle Finger - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 10:32 am:
Quinn holds on to his checks and deposits them the last day of the quarter. It’s really deceiving to say he’s only raised $100K. That’s definitely not the case. He will have more than enough to money to compete.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 10:34 am:
Raunerites are never light in the wallet.
They will raise another $30 million, easy…
- Nonplussed - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 10:36 am:
Rauner has that nursing-home money rolling in.
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 10:36 am:
So about a quarter of Rauner’s funds come out of his own pocket.
That’s not your typical self-funder. He has a powerful fund-raising machine.
You can see why the Kirk folks made nice with him early. They’re going to get on that train for the likely primary challenge from the right.
- NoBody's Perfect - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 10:49 am:
Here at ShakeyMitt Rauner HQ we are beeming with the big bucks but admitting that dumb spending ideas make the pile of loot nearly meaningless.
Now that we have been caught trying to kill the Cook County pension bill — sorry Darlene darling — we have end of session work to do
- Walker - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 10:56 am:
Yes, Quinn will have enough to “compete” but he will be facing an uphill run. My guess is that Bruce will outspend him comfortably more than 2 to 1.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 10:59 am:
Quinn is keeping his powder dry for now, but I wonder whether he should start running TV commercials showing his accomplishments (laugh and scorn if you want) and how the state has improved since he became governor.
I would like to see a commercial in which he appears and talks about the condition of the state when he first became governor, the tough choices he made as he sometimes went against special interests who were his allies and the improvement of the state.
It seems less silly to me when I put it in the context of what Rauner’s doing with his ads.
I think Quinn needs at least one solid commercial that he can run for a while.
- Almost the Weekend - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:21 am:
Grandson of Man, any commercial financed by Quinn that is not attacking Rauner is a waste of money.
- Rahm's Middle Finger - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:37 am:
Walker, he can outspend him 2 to 1 but there is a point where you get diminishing returns. $1 Million a week is considered saturated advertising in IL. There are just over 20 weeks left. My guess is that Quinn will have at least $40 million to spend. Rauner can spend $80 million, but on what?
- LincolnLounger - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:38 am:
An ad touting Quinn’s accomplishments should be cheap. Easily done in 15 seconds.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:50 am:
“Grandson of Man, any commercial financed by Quinn that is not attacking Rauner is a waste of money.”
The tactic can include attacking Rauner and touting accomplishments. Why would people want to reelect Quinn? He does have a case to make–especially when placed beside Rauner, a candidate who’s made controversial statements and now has backtracked or retreated into a world of fluff. He can’t union-smash anymore.
“An ad touting Quinn’s accomplishments should be cheap. Easily done in 15 seconds.”
Two pension reform laws, MMJ, SSM, standing up to public unions and making unpopular decisions, raising revenue that has benefited the state, etc.
It’s easy to criticize sometimes, especially when people are merely reactionary and have no plans or whose plans would have little chance of being enacted.
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:59 am:
==So about a quarter of Rauner’s funds come out of his own pocket.==
He’s raised over $5 million since the primary, of which he’s donated about 500k. I’m no math major, but that’s more like 10% rate.
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:04 pm:
–I’m no math major, but that’s more like 10% rate.–
You’re no English major either, because I was obviously referring to the figures in the headline and the first sentence.
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:27 pm:
In other words, before the end of May Rauner has raised as much as Brady did the entire campaign 4 years ago. Anyone still hoping to link the two campaigns as similar should just stop. This is a whole new ballgame, with a team that has a Yankees-size budget to use.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:43 pm:
Quinn is really going to need that grant money this time too, ya think?
- Confused - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:54 pm:
Someone thought the Rauner and Brady campaigns were similar?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:57 pm:
The only way Rauner and Brady are the same;
No GOTV.
Rauner was exposed. That Rauner Crew better start thinking Field Operations, or, like Brady, election night will be a surprise, and not a good one.
Measuring drapes is easy, winning to hang those drapes is hard.
- Wensicia - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:01 pm:
Quinn will need to rely heavily on the unions and other anti-Rauner pacs for support. He can’t beat the Rauner money machine on his own.
- Formerpol - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:43 pm:
I like the idea of an ad touting Quinn’s accomplishments: 30 seconds of a blank screen!
State is in much worse shape now than the day he took over from his running mate.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:44 pm:
word, I don’t know the “names” up north to know if this is the case, but Team Rauner has raised a bunch of cash in Central IL from first-time contributors-younger, wealthy, not directly affiliated with State Government.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:49 pm:
==So about a quarter of Rauner’s funds come out of his own pocket.==
More. $20.2m total, $6.6m from his pocket. 33%
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:51 pm:
PC, thanks, my bad. I mixed up two of the numbers. Apologies to the other dude, too.