We’re number one!
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Brace yourselves…
The whopping $66 million spent on ads in the Democratic and Republican primaries for Illinois governor made it the most expensive non-presidential primary of all time, according to the ad-tracking firm Advertising Analytics.
And because of the winners last night — incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner (who spent more than $16 million over the airwaves) and Democrat J.B. Pritzker (who spent more than $33 million on ads) — the general election is likely destined to be the most expensive gubernatorial contest in history.
Advertising Analytics projects total spending could exceed $150 million.
…Adding… The Illinois Chamber’s Independent Expenditure PAC has reported spending $183,783.19 on former Rep. Ken Dunkin’s primary race. Dunkin came in third out of four with 18 percent, receiving 3,097 votes. That works out to $59.24 per vote.
* Related…
* Tribune Editorial: Rauner, Pritzker and ‘whatever it takes’
* Tired of hearing from rich white guys? Get ready for $300 million more, Illinois
- NorthsideNoMore - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:49 pm:
Heard last night that they spent more than Trump in his presidential, is that possible?
- Norseman - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:49 pm:
You take ‘em (highest, most, #1 …) where you get ‘em.
- jimk849 - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:53 pm:
All that money spent, what’s the value?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:53 pm:
AWillyWord Consulting misses out on the Primary windfall.
I hope - AA - can find us some of that zillion dollars…
- Montrose - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:55 pm:
Rauner’s campaign spending is probably the best, most tangible thing he has done for Illinois’ economy.
- Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:57 pm:
Finally Bruce has us number one in something
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 3:58 pm:
As long as the spending is in-state, I have no complaints.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:02 pm:
The Chamber is very successful at everything it does.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:02 pm:
If you had $66 million, in dollar bills, you could wallpaper a pretty big house with those bills…
- Real - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:02 pm:
Trump had tons of free media.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:10 pm:
===If you had $66 million, in dollar bills,===
If you laid them end to end, it would stretch for 6,250 miles, or roughly the distance between Chicago and Tokyo.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:11 pm:
===If you laid them end to end, it would stretch for 6,250 miles, or roughly the distance between Chicago and Tokyo.===
So you’re saying it could be a big house?
:)
- Whatever - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:12 pm:
==Rauner’s campaign spending is probably the best, most tangible thing he has done for Illinois’ economy. ==
True, but he spent some of that money on tv advertising in St. Louis.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:13 pm:
OW that number of bills would cover about 2000 acres
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:16 pm:
Out by us, - OneMan - that’s still a lot of real estate.
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:21 pm:
Imagine how much would have been available to spend if the tax rates hadn’t gone up. I mean now everyone, even the Chamber, is just scraping by to find a few million here or there to contribute. These taxes are killing the business of politics. Just killing it. I wouldn’t be surprised if the campaigns left for other states.
- Anon324 - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:22 pm:
==Finally Bruce has us number one in something==
“Thanks to my leadership, millions of dollars in investments are pouring in to local media all over the state.” - Fake Bruce Rauner
- DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:24 pm:
To bad the state cannot put a ten per cent tax on campaign spending and dedicate it to something way underfunded
- 37B - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:30 pm:
According to USA Today Trump spent $66.1 million of his own money.
- tmfbitu - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:32 pm:
I’d like to see Pritzker issue a press release saying that for each dollar Rauner spends on ad space, Pritzker will donate the same amount to a charitable organization. Every time a Rauner ad pops up on TV, there’s a social media blurb about which charity benefitted. Whether or not it slows the insanity, at least the money isn’t being fast-forwarded into nothing.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:41 pm:
Oh to be the sales director for a TV or radio group over the next seven months…
- Skeptic - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:41 pm:
And if you stack them, they’d be nearly a mile higher than the top of Denali.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:44 pm:
==To bad the state cannot put a ten per cent tax on campaign spending and dedicate it to something way underfunded ==
The state, for example.
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:47 pm:
This is the unions last stand. All in.
- tmfbitu - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 4:50 pm:
.. . charitable donation *instead* of Pritzker responding with an ad, I mean.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 5:04 pm:
===charitable donation *instead* of Pritzker responding with an ad===
A donation to Ounce of Prevention maybe? Is that you, Diana? Lol.
- California Guy - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 6:29 pm:
Not a bad situation for Illinois. Libertarian-learning Republican Rauner vs neoliberal/pro-market Democrat. Could be much worse.
- Thomas Zane Stepp - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 6:40 pm:
I have a feeling madigan’s already calling him ‘Gov”
- Molly Maguire - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 6:51 pm:
Dunkin is glazed. Hope I never hear his name again.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:24 pm:
– The Illinois Chamber’s Independent Expenditure PAC has reported spending $183,783.19 on former Rep. Ken Dunkin’s primary race. Dunkin came in third out of four with 18 percent, receiving 3,097 votes. That works out to $59.24 per vote.–
This just in…
Springfield Police report that former Illinois Chamber CEO Zombie Les Brann is on the loose and is going to punch current Illinois Chamber CEO Todd Maisch in the face.
Former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has also been alerted, as his punch-face resembles that of the Maisch punch-face.
Both Maisch and Cutler have been advised not to stick out their lower lips until further notice, as it would alert Zombie Les Brann to their punch-faces.
Illinois businesses that fund the Illinois Chamber had no comment, as they are thoroughly confused as to why they keep pouring money into Ken Dunkin.
- DuPage Dave - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 7:43 pm:
It is unfortunately a vicious circle. If the other guy is spending you have to spend, too. We will see what unlimited spending looks like through November.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 21, 18 @ 10:01 pm:
This is what we get because of Citizens United: when money equals speech, money talks and does ALL the talking.
- Thoughts Matter - Thursday, Mar 22, 18 @ 7:07 am:
Can the TV and radio stations vary their fees by ad content? 50% more for negative campaigning. $1000 every time Madigans’ name is mentioned? A 10% Discount if the ad only mentions the candidate and their actual goals?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 22, 18 @ 7:43 am:
===If you laid them end to end, it would stretch for 6,250 miles, or roughly the distance between Chicago and Tokyo.===
So you’re saying it could be a big house? ===
If you weighed that stack of bills, it’d be around 145,000 lbs.
…. or just about 3 1/2 SUVs less than the weight of an average house.
- Ron - Thursday, Mar 22, 18 @ 7:56 am:
We’re also number one in population loss. Again.
- Benniefly2 - Thursday, Mar 22, 18 @ 8:28 am:
Not sure why Pritzker would have to spend $100 million during this campaign season. Most people didn’t know who Ives was several months ago and she had barely any funding compared to the Governor and she ended up coming within a few points of primarying the guy.
At this point, people already know who Pritzker is after his primary ad blitzes and the Governor is still deeply unpopular. One would think a blitz in the fall with an occasional response ad here or there would be more than enough to take down an extremely underwater GOP governor in a blue state in this particular election cycle.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 22, 18 @ 8:37 am:
JB should donate $1 for every time Rauner says the word Madigan to the Illinois veterans home in Quincy. Our Vets would have gold pipes providing them water!