* A second poll has Tom Cross leading Mike Frerichs by four points in the state treasurer’s race. This one’s from the Tribune…

* But there’s some good news for Frerichs in the xtabs…

The poll found Frerichs with 59 percent to 11 percent for Cross in Democratic-dominated Chicago, with 23 percent undecided. Cross, meanwhile, held the advantage in suburban Cook County, the traditional GOP-leaning collar counties and in the 96 counties outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

The large percentage of undecided voters in the city was reflected in Frerichs getting only 64 percent support from Democratic voters while 75 percent of Republicans backed Cross. Among independents, Cross held a 42 percent to 17 percent edge over Frerichs with 27 percent undecided.

If and/or when Chicagoans and Democrats come home, that’ll definitely boost Frerichs.

But that indpendent split is not good news for Frerichs.

* Meanwhile, the Illinois State Board of Elections voted 7-1 last week that the Frerichs campaign’s complaint against the Cross campaign “was not filed on justifiable grounds.” Frerichs alleged that Cross, “failed to file required A-1 reports, exceeded contribution limitations, and the political candidate of the committee maintained and established more than one candidate political committee for the office sought by the candidate.” The vote overturned a hearing officer’s recommendation.

* In other news, the Frerichs campaign wants you to know that Treasurer Dan Rutherford has endorsed Tom Cross. They want you to know this because Cross hasn’t yet put the endorsement on his campaign page.

*** UPDATE *** The hearing officer’s report is here…

RECOMMENDATION

For the reasons set forth above, it is the Recommendation of the Hearing Examiner that the Board find as follows:

1) The Complaint has been filed on justifiable grounds as to the 7 expenditures listed above that Respondent indicated should have been attributed to Cross for Treasurer rather than Citizens to elect Tom Cross State Representative.

Strategic Media Services $ 7,095.58
Scientific Flight 2,594.82
Nevins 2,461.15
Quick Signs 340.00
Sheraton 1,120.00
Sheraton 206.65
Enterprise 198.00

TOTAL: $ 14,016.62

       

19 Comments - Lionel R - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:10 pm: Frerichs is just not trustworthy. Lies in announcement video, flip flops on combining the office, hates Israel then loves Israel, yells at Cross for going to an ALEC conference he wasn’t at and now filed a campaign finance complaint that was thrown out. What is wrong with this guy? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:14 pm: If I’m the Cross Crew? Get as “close” as humanly possible to “Topinka/Cross” and not “Rauner/Cross” in Cook and Chicago. If Cross’ Crew can get that to 20% in the city with that connection, and keep Cook close, that MIGHT be enough. The first of Cross/Frerichs to get in the phrase of “Lisa, Jesse, Judy, & ‘Them’…” in that 20% for Cross or below 20% for Cross, helping Frerichs, that is where ground is to be made. As to Frerichs? If this was a “Punch 10!” type race, I’d love this being 4 points with Dems yet to come home. Early voting and same day registration must equal true “Pluses” for Frerichs to feel comfortable…since there ain’t “Punch 10!” but, “Have you voted? Want to?” still out there. Ground game, just ground game. - Whatever - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:14 pm: Thanks for helping, Dan! Did Cross actually ask for this endorsement, or is Rutherford ust looking for a way to stay relevant? - Precinct Captain - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:15 pm: But Cross is trustworthy? This is a self-described “close friend” of Rod Blagojevich who is too much of a coward to run for the office he really wants, attorney general, because he knows he would get crushed, so instead he wants to turn an investment office into a law firm. This is a guy who found “moderate” bonafides to support human rights only when it was time for a statewide run, but not in his prior 19 years of being an insider. Real trustworthy. - The Captain - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:15 pm: This race doesn’t have anywhere near the prevalent level of animosity that the Governor’s race has yet here’s another poll where the Libertarian candidate is above 5%. I am very interested to see if the Libertarians can somehow get official party status out of one of these two races. - Barney - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:32 pm: the real bad news for Frerichs is that this poll was taken before Cross went on Chicago tv. Frerichs had run over a week of Chicago tv while cross was dark and he still couldn’t move numbers. - Team Sleep - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:34 pm: PC - I’m just curious, but given your rants and posts and obvious political leanings on this site, did you ever work to get Blago elected? God forbid we’d be friends with someone who’s of a different political persuasion or belief system. My wife is a Democrat. I’m a Republican. We must just be the worst people. - Downstate GOP Faithless - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:35 pm: I applaud MF’s desire to tie TC to Rutherford and his issues, but it is a stretch. The better thing would be if MF cornered TC on releasing the Braver Report. MF has gained a least a few GOP votes from people I know simply over that…not enough to turn anything, but it is still a fun thing. Come on, all of us are curious what was so scathing Rutherford felt the need to cover it up and fire employees over it…that at least lends fun to an otherwise boring down ballot race. - Wordslinger - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:44 pm: CBS/NYT has Quinn up 45-41, 3,519 likely voters, Oct. 16-23. - Mokenavince - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 1:03 pm: Shouldn’t this office be merged with the controller? I think it should be abolished. - Dirty Red - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 1:11 pm: That’s quite a homecoming in Chicago for Frerichs. - anonymoose - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 1:18 pm: OW…I think they took your advice. My (R) committeeman left a Cross-Topinka piece (8 1/2 x4?)on my doorstep along with other goodies to peruse. Mr. Cross on one side. Ms. Topinka on the other of the same piece. - Precinct Captain - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 1:31 pm: ==- Team Sleep - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 12:34 pm:== Sleep, Tom Cross PROUDLY acted as a conduit for Rod Blagojevich and his schemes when Madigan refused to. Also, I never voted for Rod Blagojevich or volunteered on one of his campaigns, ever. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 1:32 pm: - anonymoose -, It’s the best move for Cross. Whose polling better and can get more votes for you easier, Rauner in a nail biter, or Comptroller Topinka in a laugher? It’s easy when it’s out there like that. - Team Sleep - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 1:50 pm: PC - As much as I hate to give Blago credit for anything, it seems as though the 2003 bond “scheme” may not have been a true scheme. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140906/ISSUE05/309069982/did-blago-get-something-right Also - Speaker Madigan filed HB 2660 and then his budget negotiator - Rep. Gary Hannig - introduced the Floor Amendment to authorize the bond deal. Oh - and Speaker Madigan voted for it. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=2660&GAID=3&GA=93&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=5199&SessionID=3 http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/93/house/09300HB2660_03202003_028000T.pdf And you know as well as I do that NOTHING like this makes it through the House unless Speaker Madigan approves it and gives it the green light. - anon - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 2:10 pm: TS Bonding has always been bipartisan. - Team Sleep - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 2:27 pm: Anon 2:10 - I agree - which is why it’s a little silly to act like Rep. Cross is the only person to have supported it. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 2:34 pm: Anything would be an improvement for Cross, but I just don’t see him getting there. Chicago: Cross - 11% Rauner - 17% Topinka - 27% Cross will be lucky to catch Rauner, and even that won’t be enough, because Cross is not going to do as well as Rauner will downstate. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Oct 27, 14 @ 2:36 pm: === it’s a little silly to act like Rep. Cross is the only person to have supported it. === LOL. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.