* As I told you back in May, the rumor mill has long buzzed that JB Pritzker is willing to spend $150 million on the general election. So, if Gov. Rauner matches dollar for dollar, $300 million would sound about right…
Some Illinois and Washington party officials think the contest might run well in excess of $300 million, blowing away the current record-holder for statewide office — the $280 million California governor’s race between former eBay executive Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown in 2010. […]
The $250 million to $300 million figure includes expected spending from candidates, super PACS and outside groups. […]
Several people close to Rauner said he was willing to withdraw as much as $150 to $200 million from his own personal fortune, and that he was determined not to let Pritzker outspend him. […]
One thing is clear, [said Curt Anderson, who helped to run Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s race in 2010, when over $150 million was spent]: it would be a mistake to begin airing slash-and-burn commercials anytime soon — a step, he said, that would badly turn off voters.
Um, Curt, they’ve already started.
*** UPDATE 1 *** If you click here, you’ll see Pritzker explaining why he isn’t raising money…
“One of the things you may or may not like about my candidacy is I’m not raising money. The reason that I chose not to do that was predominantly because Bruce Rauner, who people think self-funds, actually takes tens of millions of dollars from the Koch brothers. His largest contributor, $20 million, Ken Griffin, the wealthiest man in Illinois… And there’s going to be much more, probably the Uihleins and probably lots of others because they did this in 2016. And I want you to know that when I stand up in front of you and tell you that I’m for a progressive income tax, and that I’m gonna fight for 15 and that I’m gonna make sure we legalize marijuana, that those are the things I really believe and there’s nobody who’s gonna call me in the middle of the night who backed me, who wrote me a check or something, who’s gonna say to me ‘You can’t do that thing you said you were gonna do because we won’t back you in the next election.’”
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity…
Rich,
I hope you ask Pritzker what he means by his statement that Rauner has actually taken tens of millions of dollars from the Koch brothers.
Is he saying that Rauner is taking illegal unreported contributions? As the person who has run a Koch-affiliated organization, Americans for prosperity, in Illinois, I can say that his comment is completely false.
Perhaps he should be a bit more careful before leveling accusations of illegal Blago-like activity.
Regards,
David From
On it.
*** UPDATE 3 *** From the Pritzker campaign…
“We appreciate David’s feedback, but unlike Bruce Rauner, our campaign doesn’t take cues from shady, dark money networks and radical anti-union crusaders. Since AFP is having trouble connecting point A to point B, we’re happy to spell it out. Rauner’s new extremist ‘superstar’ team comes from a Koch funded policy institute. Rauner’s donors come from the Koch network, with Ken Griffin and his $20 million leading the charge. And, Rauner’s agenda of forcing pain to make anti-union gains is right out of the Koch playbook. You don’t get a state government this devastating for working families without the Koch brothers lurking in the background.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** From AFP Illinois…
Rich,
I’m sure you’re not interested in an extended back-and-forth. But but for your future use, I wanted to set the record straight on a few things the Pritzker campaign said in their response:
1- IPI does not receive Koch network funding. They raise plenty of money on their own but do not receive Koch money.
2- Ken Griffin is not a Koch Bros. They do not direct Griffin’s political giving. And he does not direct Koch funding.
i’m sure the Pritzker crew will try to make these claims again as part of their boogie man narrative.
Thanks for posting the initial response.
Regards,
David From
*** UPDATE 5 *** From Galia Slayen of the Pritzker campaign…
When attempting to “set the record straight,” David might find it helpful to consult the actual record:
The Illinois Policy Institute Received Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars From The Koch Brothers, Koch Groups, And Koch-Related Donors Like The Knowledge And Progress Fund. According to the Center for Public Integrity, the Illinois Policy Institute received funding from the Donors Trust that was funded by The Knowledge and Progress Fund, The Charles Koch Foundation, and Koch-Related Donors. [Center for Public Integrity, accessed 7/10/17]
