Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » *** UPDATED x1 *** Chris Kennedy busts the contribution cap in governor’s race
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
*** UPDATED x1 *** Chris Kennedy busts the contribution cap in governor’s race

Monday, Mar 27, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

[Bumped up to Monday from Friday for visibility purposes.]

[Reader comments now opened on this post.]

* It was bound to happen sooner or later…


Kennedy reported a $250,100 contribution to himself. So, all gubernatorial candidates can now take whatever they want from contributors from here on out. The official clock started ticking on March 20th, a year before the 2018 primary. Large contributions before that date (including Gov. Rauner’s $50 million contribution to his campaign last December) did not blow the caps.

Kennedy also reported some smaller contributions today totaling $73K.

Ameya Pawar reported about $70K in contris to his account yesterday. And JB Pritzker finally reported his $200K contribution to his exploratory campaign fund this week.

*** UPDATE ***  Sen. Daniel Biss is fundraising off of Kennedy’s contribution…

When I announced on Monday, I said we’d need to be ready to take on money and the machine. I just didn’t expect to be proven right so soon.

The only thing standing in the way of big money influencing our politics are contribution limits. This is why it’s so noteworthy that late on Friday, and exactly one week before the quarterly filing deadline, Chris Kennedy gave more than $250,000 of his personal wealth to his campaign.

With that one contribution, Kennedy has blown the fundraising caps in this race — which means there are no longer any limits to what donors can contribute.

This is great news for money and the machine — which means it’s terrible news for Illinois.
This is more of what we DON’T need — the rich and powerful exploiting loopholes in the law to maintain their hold on our state government. I got in this race to change that — and it’s why I need you to step up and stand with me now. Together, if each of us steps up, we can overcome money and the machine.

       

20 Comments
  1. - @MisterJayEm - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 8:40 am:

    Pretty soon, we’ll be talking real money.

    – MrJM


  2. - A guy - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 8:41 am:

    …and they’re off…


  3. - No Longer A Lurker - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 8:49 am:

    The advertising guys are already licking their chops on the money to be made on next years election.


  4. - The Captain - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 8:51 am:

    I kind of thought Rauner would put in enough to lift the caps relatively soon just to try to get as much money into this Democratic primary as possible, now he doesn’t have to.


  5. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 8:59 am:

    To the Post,

    As much as I think Kennedy blowing the caps could/will change things very quickly in the Dem Primary, I look at it, like I said, towards Rauner, using such a large window now to park monies that Rauner need not worry about piling later. Then again, Rauner has the money parked elsewhere, it’s not like Rauner will be scraping. Won’t be scraping, but Rauner can now flex serious muscles at any time.

    With this Kennedy news?

    If I’m the Rauner Crew, I get the Rauner balance to $75 million for June 30, just park it. Plus, Rauner could get to $150 million easier with year to go… the thinking…

    Rauner can plan to spend $10 million on entire Primary season (Sep-Mar), taking on Dems, learning and testing negative messages on each candidate and “help” drive negatives for everyone against anyone, in short, disrupting the Dem’s primary, cause Rauner can, and now has a whole window to get that monies and message rolling.

    Caucuses? Rauner can “secure” that $20 million for the HGOP, and “secure” that $20 million SGOP, causing major worries that Mike Noonan himself described, and Noonan ain’t wrong.

    Then, Rauner can have that much needed $100 million “after” March 21st, 2018 until the end.

    What Kennedy did was ensure this whole next calendar year that Diana and Bruce Rauner can finish off a re-elect by starting early and often to get to a number between $100-150 million, with a $50 million head start.

    This only makes sense for a candidate like Kennedy, specifically, if Kennedy, with no political base or history or position of record, can get to $100 million, but first get to $20 million or so to get through March 21st…

    In Skyhook in Reverse, Admiral Torrey is face with two threats, first to secure the landing of forces, then to set to sea and face the next threat.

    That’s what Kennedy, Pritzker, Biss… any and all announced and unannounced candidates will face too.

    The first threat is the “landing” (winning the Dem primary, getting past the first phase of Rauner), the nect threat is the battle at sea, (the General Election).

    Biss has a way to get through all this, but it will be centrally based on real, true, organization. That is the real challenge.

    Kennedy and Pritzker need to use significant (millions) to organize a state that not only can they both (Kennedy and Pritzker) build something that will lead to a GOTV to rival Rauner’s organization and media presence.

    Would I have broken the cap?

    Only if I 100% know that I had $25+ million to get through March, and I had the Crew that could get that GOTV.

    If I’m the Rauner’s, today in real time, how are they not giddy? I would be. No fear, not even the blame for breaking the caps.

    This is going to be one crazy race.

    #Budget


  6. - 47th Ward GOP - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:00 am:

    Pawar and Biss fighting for the same money from progressives.


  7. - Leon Despres - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:09 am:

    Willy gave me some better sense of what’s going on here, but when I saw this — and honestly still now — I was flabbergasted. I don’t see the upside for Kennedy. He’s going to be outgunned on the money front by Pritzker, so why not let him bust the caps and hit him on it, and he’s leaning into the sword that Biss had already set up. Busting the caps just doesn’t seem like it’ll play all too well in a Democratic primary.

    Even so, it’s obvious he was doing it to make a point. He did it so early on, and so narrowly (just above the threshold). But the point he’s trying to make… got lost somewhere in translation for me.


  8. - William j Kelly - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:11 am:

    Hahahaahahhaha! What an amateur move! Let’s see if he even files!;)


  9. - Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:26 am:

    === What an amateur move! ===

    Says the guy who busted the caps in the mayor’s race which allowed Rahm Emanuel to bury Chuy Garcia with a huge pile of money.


  10. - don the legend - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:33 am:

    If Biss loses he at least has a great name for his band: Money and the Machine


  11. - William j Kelly - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:38 am:

    Rich, there you go again! If I didn’t bust the caps in the mayors race there never would’ve been a runoff. Rahm already had all the money he needed to run for mayor, busting the caps allowed the challengers to get in the game and by the way that’s exactly what Kennedy just did!;)


  12. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:44 am:

    ===…busting the caps allowed the challengers to get in the game and by the way that’s exactly what Kennedy just did!;)===

    And…

    === What an amateur move! ===

    It’s such genius, it’s an amateur move?

    ===Hahahaahahhaha! What an amateur move! Let’s see if he even files===

    You are clueless to your own thoughts… Ugh.


  13. - Joe Bidenopolous - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:45 am:

    This leaves me wondering…we pretty much know Kennedy doesn’t have the ability to self-fund in the manner of Pritzker or Rauner, but it’s possible that he’s built a small network of large-dollar donors that could keep him relatively close in resources if the caps were busted, so he busted them. Just a thought.


  14. - William j Kelly - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:53 am:

    oswego, your irrational blind hatred of me is blinding you to the reality that busting the caps helps challengers. For example I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Biss gets 200k from Eychaner today.


  15. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 9:54 am:

    I read your comment.

    Good luck.


  16. - The Captain - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 10:20 am:

    I was told second hand that part of the reason Kennedy busted the caps and busted them now was that he wanted to have a big quarter and I’ve been hearing for a while that he had a bunch of pledges lined up. There’s only a week left in the quarter, so I’m not sure how much stock I put in that explanation, but we’ll know this week if we start seeing big filings from Kennedy. He now has about $325,000 in the bank, his $250K that busted the caps and another ~$75K from earlier, not clear what number he’s trying to get to by Friday.

    If he blew the caps to have a million dollar quarter that would make for a nice headline but it would still be short of the almost $1.4 million Biss had to start the year. I’m not sure that would really move the needle, so we’ll see if it’s more.

    Having said all that my assumption is that by about next week there won’t be more than 10 or 20 people in the whole state who know/remember who busted the caps and it will all be overshadowed by Rauner and probably Pritzker’s money anyway.


  17. - 1: - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 10:21 am:

    It’s going to be ending of mine day, except before finish I am
    reading this great paragraph to increase my know-how. http://jaysonkeeler5385.wikidot.com/blog:1


  18. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 10:23 am:

    ===…there won’t be more than 10 or 20 people in the whole state who know/remember who busted the caps and it will all be overshadowed by Rauner and probably Pritzker’s money anyway===

    All true, but the rub is Pritzker/Biss/Kennedy now can’t blame Rauner for blowing the cap, especially in free or paid media.

    That’s what’s at play, the point to be made, now that point is gone.


  19. - if you've got it - Monday, Mar 27, 17 @ 1:18 pm:

    If they’ve got the money - let them spend it.


  20. - Andrea Urraca - Thursday, Mar 30, 17 @ 1:14 am:

    Hello to all, since I am actually eager of reading this weblog’s post to be updated regularly. It contains pleasant information.|


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


* Reader comments closed for the weekend
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* The Waukegan City Clerk was railroaded
* Whatever happened, the city has a $40 million budget hole it didn't disclose until now
* Manar gives state agencies budget guidance: Cut, cut, cut
* Roundup: Ex-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis testifies in Madigan corruption trial
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller