* From a press release…
Raja Krishnamoorthi announced today he raised more than $450,000 during the final fundraising quarter of 2015, with more than $1.25 million in cash-on-hand as the March 15 primary approaches. The fundraising announcement follows recent endorsements of Raja for Congress by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and a string of labor unions including the International Association of Ironworkers, Air Line Pilots Association, the Illinois State Council of Machinists, and others.
“I am thrilled and humbled that this fundraising support will enable me to deliver our progressive message to voters across the 8th Congressional District of Illinois,” Raja said. “When they go to the polls on March 15th, Democratic primary voters will know that they can count on me to protect their Social Security and Medicare benefits, fight for equal pay for equal work, press for an increase in the minimum wage and guaranteed access to paid maternity and sick leave, and push for access to affordable college education.”
Raja’s fundraising success is complemented by his support from more than 100 Democratic leaders and activists throughout Illinois and the Chicago suburbs as well as an active and growing volunteer organization.
In recent weeks, Raja has won the backing of many labor organizations, including the International Association of Ironworkers, Illinois State Council of Machinists, the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 2, the Air Line Pilots Association, the Office and Professional Employees’ Union Local 45 and Illinois Letter Carriers’ President Ken Christy. Raja is also endorsed by Rep. Jan Schakowsky of the 9th District of Illinois and David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Obama.
“Raja is the best choice to succeed Tammy Duckworth in Congress,” Schakowsky said. “I look forward to Raja joining me in the fight to make equal pay for equal work the law of the land.”
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 10:21 am:
My gf lives in the northern part of the district and I have not seen a single thing for any of the candidates.
Funny primary so far.
- Spliff - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 10:23 am:
He can raise all he wants but don’t bet any of it against Noland. He has always fought up hill and he has never been outworked.
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 10:46 am:
“He can raise all he wants”
Apparently so.
– MrJM
- Nuke the Whales - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 10:47 am:
Raja sure can raise a lot of money for a guy who doesn’t give a dime to any of the local Dems. Seriously if he had spent 2015 raising this kind of money for people who aren’t him, he wouldn’t have a primary.
- Dupage Bard - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 10:56 am:
Interesting that Jan is backing male candidates in both the 8th and the 10th and says that the men will fight better for equal pay than the women they are up against.
- Come on Man! - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 11:06 am:
Thank you, Nuke the Whales. There is this false narrative among insiders connect to D.C. that Raja is going to be bringing in fundraising dollars for other candidates. Raja could have made this whole race a lot easier for himself had he used his fundraising network to bring money in for the legislators below the congressional district as well as other power players in the party. What he did do was shrink into obscurity. That is of course, until the drum beat in 2014 was so loud you could no long hear Tammy was going to run for Senate, he started campaigning.
There are some serious down ballot implications for Raja getting the nod. I know Raja polled the district a few weeks ago and for someone with all this money bragging you’d think if he had poll numbers to solidify his frontrunner status he would strategically leak those.
That said, it is a shame Emily’s List did not get involved with Bullwinkel but I would venture to guess Schakowsky stymied that support.
- You Can't Be Serious - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 11:19 am:
I like how everyone is now looking at Raja as the key funder for other races. Pure jealously.
Let’s look at the race: we have a well-qualified candidate against a small-town mayor who is barely registering any support and a Springfield Legislator who has a good portion of IL-08. The other candidates were around a long time but did little to support fellow Democrats.
What we know about Raja is almost universal support among Township Committeeman who can trust the guy will support local organizations. That’s a big statement.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 11:20 am:
Noland, hands down.
- The Captain - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 11:23 am:
Fundraising very impressive, now it’s time to go spend it.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 11:24 am:
This is going to be a great primary. Raja looks the best - can’t beat a Pelosi/Schakowsky/Axelrod
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 11:24 am:
This is going to be a great primary. Raja looks the best - can’t beat a Pelosi/Schakowsky/Axelrod endorsement* Sorry for the typo everyone!
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:11 pm:
Fundraising doesn’t move poll numbers. Spending does.
And 1.25 million cash-on-hand is a lot to spend.
- IL08 Favorite - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:30 pm:
Robert is absolutely right: who has the resources to mobilizes and connect with voters? You can’t knock on every door - you need organizers and volunteers. You need mediums to communicate your message: radio, TV, digital, etc. Raja has that.
- Come on Man! - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:35 pm:
Yes, money helps but we have see Raja outspend opponents by almost 3-1 and still lose. Money may buy a message but if the vehicle of that message is a corporate outsourcer ivy leaguer in a staunchly middle class and union district it can be tough.
- Be Serious - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:51 pm:
Come-On-Man, you forgot to mention: Deputy Illinois State Attorney, Assistant Attorney General for the Public Integrity Unit under Lisa Madigan, Policy Director for Barack Obama 2008 U.S. Senate Campaign & local small businessman from Schaumburg.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:52 pm:
Deputy Illinois State Treasurer*
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:53 pm:
==You can’t knock on every door==
Raja probably will do that too; not sure that anyone outworks him.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 2:06 pm:
Raja has apparently been knocking on over a thousand doors in the district as well.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 2:14 pm:
I honestly don’t know what Deb or Noland is doing. Not enough updates.
- Come on man! - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 2:45 pm:
Yes, Be serious, that is the message that lost him the race the last two times he ran. Why will it work this time?
What has Raja done of substance since 2010?
- NorthCenter - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 2:55 pm:
Is it just me or have I barely seen anything coming out of any campaign? Absentee ballots start to go out in a month. Are all these campaigns just planning on a final month blitz?
I’m in Cook County and haven’t gotten a single piece of mail when we have a US Senate race, State’s Attorney, Cook County Circuit Court Clerk.. etc. I’m pretty sure the slated candidate for Circuit Court Clerk, Michele Harris, doesn’t even have a website.Maybe I”m just recalling the daily mail I got from Rahm’s Mayoral campaign.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 3:20 pm:
===What has Raja done of substance since 2010?===
what are you looking for? Do you have some specific criteria that you apply for every candidate? What about Hillary in the past four years?
Stupid question
- Triple fat - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 4:21 pm:
Bruce Rauner is to Rahm Emanuel as spit is to Shinola.
- burbanite - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 4:57 pm:
LOL triple fat, wrong thread!
I have seen all of them present in the past, Raja comes across as super corporate. Gotta go with Noland.
- Dupage Bard - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 5:03 pm:
Raja will have to go negative against Noland’s union backing. Will the people break to Raja if they don’t like Noland or do they break to Bullwinkle? Pretty telling that people are reaching out to get Bullwinkle to drop. She’s taking points from someone and may end up squeaking through this as the other two beat each other up. How can either candidate be for equal pay for woman and stand up for woman’s issues if they go negative on Bullwinkle?
- burbanite - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 7:56 pm:
Raja would be a fool to go negative on Noland’s Union backing if he is touting union endorsement himself. I hope no one goes negative. Not sure what going negative a female candidate has to do with a candidates ability to support equal pay or women’s issues. I think that proposition itself if misogynistic.