* Press release…
Chris Kennedy’s campaign continues to build a groundswell of support from people throughout Illinois, as evidenced by this quarter’s fundraising results.
The campaign announced today that it’s raised more than $2.75 million, with more than $1.05 million of that coming in the third quarter.
“For far too long, our political system has benefited a wealthy few and left too many behind,” Campaign Manager Brendan O’Sullivan said. “As our campaign progresses, we see the power of the people coming together to support a candidate who will challenge the status quo to bring fairness and opportunity back to everyone throughout Illinois.”
Kennedy’s grassroots approach is reflected in the campaign’s fundraising results:
* Nearly 8,000 contributions have come from about 5,300 individual contributors.
* Nearly 80 percent of third quarter contributions came in at $100 or less.
* Contributions to the campaign have come from donors in 90 of Illinois’ 102 counties.
In addition to thriving on the power of the people throughout the state, Kennedy made his commitment clear by making a $250,000 personal contribution to the campaign this quarter.
[Emphasis added]
“We’re right where we need to be,” says a Kennedy person.
For context, Sen. Daniel Biss raised that same amount during the second quarter. Kennedy raised just $700,000 in the second quarter. JB Pritzker has put $21.2 million into his own campaign.
…Adding… The “Nearly 80 percent of third quarter contributions came in at $100 or less” refers to the number of actual contributions, not the amount raised.
- The Muse - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:22 pm:
Wait… So Kennedy “raised” $1.05 million BUT he also donated $250k of his own money which is included in that total. That’s less than $900k which is, if I remember correctly, less than what he raised in the 2nd quarter.
I think I hear drums beating.
- JoeMaddon - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:25 pm:
It’s actually likely less than $800k. Not impressive. Again.
And did he continue his high burn rate? What’s his CoH. That’s the more interesting number.
- Ron - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:26 pm:
It’s a shame we can’t have a good democrat run in Illinois. Why won’t anyone stand up the the public unions and be socially liberal?
Rauner is the best candidate still.
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:26 pm:
Better, but these days that’s down-ballot money. The game has changed.
- DarkHorse - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:30 pm:
Kennedy can’t raise money because money people think JB will win. If there’s a poll before year end showing it close, after all JB has spent, Kennedy’s fundraising will improve.
- sway - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:33 pm:
His burn rate will be high, given that he just hired a co-campaign manager to lead the effort with Brendan.
- Amalia - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:45 pm:
gotta do better. but if the polls don’t show JB far in front, what does that say about JB?
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:47 pm:
It’s a shame we can’t have a good democrat run in Illinois. Why won’t anyone stand up the the public unions and be socially liberal?
Dan Biss, before he apologized for being one of the architects of SB 1?
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:48 pm:
I’ve been surprised that a son of RFK and nephew of JFK and Ted can’t put together a formidable national funder network for a Democratic primary.
Is the star power in the name totally gone, or is it a lack of competence?
What about Bill Daley? The dude was White House COS, cabinet secretary, big-shot banker….. Did he lose his Rolodex?
- DuPage Bard - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:50 pm:
What is the polling? Has no one polled this race since June?
- Real - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:53 pm:
@Ron
Yeah standing up for a race to the bottom makes Rauner the best candidate yet. Rauner stands up for low wages and little benefits at a higher cost. That’s exactly what Illinois needs. Rauner stood up by vetoing a minimum wage hike. You see how much he works for workers?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 1:09 pm:
Not that impressive. But will keep him the game.
- Periwinkle - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 1:09 pm:
This is pretty lame, especially for a Kennedy.
- Ghost - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 1:13 pm:
So mostly his and his families dollars with a small body of small donors… unimpressive, most unimpressive (deep mechanical breath)
- Ron - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 1:17 pm:
Minimum wage is high enough as it is. Illinois is so umcompetetive it’s sad. Illinois does not exist in a vacuum.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 1:26 pm:
Just think what he could have raised if he showed up!
- Real - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 1:31 pm:
Minimum wage is not high enough. Why should Illinois compete for race to the bottom jobs? Companies that see who will work for pennies is not who we need to attract.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 1:42 pm:
==Why should Illinois compete for race to the bottom jobs?==
I suppose it beats a bottom with no jobs.
- Canon - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 1:58 pm:
Should have released this tomorrow
- Anon0091 - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:01 pm:
When Bill Daley was brought on board he said Kennedy needed $8-10 million. He’s never raised more than $800k in a quarter (plus his own $250). So that puts him about $5-7 million short. And as Joe Maddon said, COH is what matters. If it’s still around $1 mil, that’s a real problem.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:09 pm:
- Anon0091 -
Kennedy needs to get to $8-10 million, by January.
Kennedy leads in the last released polling, with 44%, so a real good way to stop Kennedy would be a poll showing Kennedy trailing, after leading, a fading campaign.
I haven’t seen such a poll.
We’ll see who files petitions, then who has what cash on hand, and where polling is… come January I guess.
- Ghost - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:26 pm:
OW if there was more current internal polling showing Kennedy fading, it might be kept quiet to keep Kennedy I. Sloppy disheveled mode. Releasing poll numbers that show you gaining if usuaally done to help gather donors… which prtizker does not need. Kennedy of course wouldn’t release number showing his is dripping behind, as that could accelerate his problem.
Just some speculation, but those June numbers are old at this point. I keep waiting for Rich to do a poll….
- Ron - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:31 pm:
“I suppose it beats a bottom with no jobs.”
That’s where Illinois is now. Increasing the minimum wage will make it worse.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:31 pm:
Polling “isn’t” used to swamp an opponent or used to make fundraising difficult?
Huh.
Old or not, the last polling has Kennedy at 44%, leading.
When Rich or someone else released polling, then they do.
===…if there was more current internal polling showing Kennedy fading, it might be kept quiet to keep Kennedy I. Sloppy disheveled mode===
So, you sit on an opportunity to finally squash any other candidates?
Ok. If that’s the poll wanted out there, that’s cool.
- Ron - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:31 pm:
Illinois has not recovered all the jobs lost since the recession in the early 2000s
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:44 pm:
Depends, you dont want to release polling to fire up a lackluster campaign either. Your assumptiin is releasing numbers only helps…. but i disagree. Kennedy has the potential to actually step up his game, he just seems to be coasting mostly. No need to fire him up if your moving ahead quietly.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:46 pm:
- Ghost -
Here’s how I look at this, right, wrong, whatever.
Daily, name after name after name are endorsing Pritzker. They’re on TV, not with one ad, there on with multiple ads, with multiple themes, positive and negative.
They have bricks and mortar offices, with staff, and a Crew deep at all levels of operations, all the way down to retail.
Also, every day, other campaigns continue to target and go after either with oppo items or real time takes to positions they all have.
If you can eliminate other campaigns by showing support that reinforces endorsements, campaign structure, media buys, statewide tours… why not let the harvest of that sowing have others take pause as polling shows things fading?
It’s their race. They know that they’re doing. That’s not snark, that’s actually the truth and they are doing all they can to win.
It’s just a strategy thing. They have theirs.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:48 pm:
===…you dont want to release polling to fire up a lackluster campaign either. Your assumptiin is releasing numbers only helps…. but i disagree. Kennedy has the potential to actually step up his game, he just seems to be coasting mostly===
Who is Pritzker sneaking up on?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:52 pm:
Kids, wait.
The Pritzker people say they do not want to release polls now because they don’t want to have to release them down the road when it might not be to their advantage. I know some folks inside and close to the candidate who are frustrated by this.
Kennedy doesn’t have the cash to do a lot of polling.
But there may be one coming. Stay tuned.
- Ghost - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:52 pm:
I don’t really disagree with you, I just wonder if there isn’t a bit more happening unseen. But then again I still keep wondering what happened to Daily and why hasn’t Kennedy been able to build a real campaign team…
And your mother wears combat boots!
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 2:55 pm:
==- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 12:48 pm:==
If it’s not lack of competence, it’s lack of work. From what Bill Daley said previously, it sounds like there was very little candidate call time going on. Gotta get dialing for dollars Chris!
- TruPlaya4Real - Thursday, Oct 5, 17 @ 4:18 pm:
Kennedy has a fundraising consultant right? Effective call time is job number one for a fundraiser.