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Duckworth, Bustos outraise GOP incumbents

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Illinois

* Duckworth sets a record for the cycle to date…

Democratic 8th Congressional District candidate Tammy Duckworth has raised a record amount of money in the second quarter, her campaign said.

Duckworth, who is running against Republican Joe Walsh, will report raising at least $885,540 for the second quarter of 2012, her strongest fundraising quarter yet. Her campaign said this is believed to be the highest quarter for any House challenger from either party.

Nearly 92 percent of the individual contributions Duckworth received this quarter were for $100 or less, with the average individual contribution being $79.97.

* Congressman Joe Walsh says he raised $318,121 and had about $750,000 in the bank. From a press release…

Duckworth’s figures reveal her campaign raised only 4.6% of her funds from the new or old 8th district, which was far less than her totals from New York and California. Duckworth’s cash on hand figure showed itself to be similar to Walsh’s keeping this a highly competitive fundraising campaign.

Ironically the numbers posted by the Duckworth campaign are near identical to the numbers she posted in 2006, when she raised $850,000 for the quarter and $4.56 million for the entire campaign. Yet despite those strong numbers and Democrats posting huge wins across the country, Duckworth lost handily to Peter Roskam.

Walsh added, “I will give my opponent Ms. Duckworth credit, she is the darling of the liberal elite, and they will gladly open their pocketbooks for her. However, as we learned in 2006 when she raised over $4 million, Ms. Duckworth cannot hide from voters and buy this election.”

* Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Bobby Schilling raised $360,000 in the second quarter. His take…

U.S. Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-Colona) today announced impressive fundraising totals for the second quarter of 2012. The Bobby Schilling for Congress campaign has now raised more than $1.5 million during the 2011-12 election cycle, a record for a Republican candidate in the Illinois 17th District. Additionally, the campaign holds more than $945,000 cash on hand.

Schilling said that the vast majority of his campaign’s donations come from individuals within the Illinois 17th District, a stark contrast to his opponent.

* Schilling’s Democratic opponent Cheri Bustos outraised him and is closing the gap on cash on hand as well. Her take…

This strong fundraising report follows a strong $420,000 first quarter for Bustos, which also bested Congressman Schilling’s showing. Bustos has significantly narrowed the fundraising gap having, though having to fight her way through a primary, and finishes the quarter with more than $820,000 cash on hand.

I really doubt that Walsh can win this one, but the Bustos-Schilling race will definitely be a hot one. Schilling is a much better candidate than he’s often given credit for being.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 10:10 am

Comments

If you saw the first debate between walsh and duckworth the tragic thing about his mouth and behavior is that he’s really a much better debater than she is and a much better candidate in outlining what he stands for and thinks. She’s really awful at explaining herself once she’s not in a situation where her consultants are programming her and she had a miserable time dealing with questions from reporters and Walsh’s attacks in that debate.

Comment by Shore Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 10:33 am
“Schilling is a much better candidate than he’s often given credit for being. ”
Clearly Capt Fax has some level of exhaustion (ala TreyJ)
Oh wait We get it…..PizzaBobby is generally thought of a brain dead boob who gets led around by Aaron’s boys…this Capt Fax endorsement must mean PizzaBobby is capable of ?….putting his slip ons on the correct feet, endorsing massive health care spending increases while voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or being confused as to why Bernie was quoting Schock being nice to TreyJ?
Very clear

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 10:33 am
@Shore, too early in the morning for delusions.

Comment by amalia Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 10:35 am
=== Schilling is a much better candidate than he’s often given credit for being. ===

So true.

Meanwhile, I’d love to see how much Duckworth raises every time Walsh makes another outlandisch statement.

He is her fundraising consultant.

Comment by Freeman Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 10:37 am
Shore, suburban congressional debates mean little.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 10:38 am
‘Shore, suburban congressional debates mean little.”

Rarely is Rich so understated.

I’ll go a step further and say that congressional debates mean NOTHING unless one of the candidates makes a major gaffe, which becomes the focal point of either media coverage or campaign advertising.

The Tribune endorsement will be highly influential in this race if its out by the middle of October. If they give Walsh a pass for all of his idiocy, it’ll help restore his credibility. If they provide a meaningful endorsement of Duckworth, Walsh is probably doomed.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 10:47 am
Walsh has been in an extended tryout for a WLS or Fox talker, which he can use as a base to make some real money off of his “brand” (show, speeches, book, Twitter, etc.). Re-election is not his priority.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 10:59 am
I’m aware of what they mean. I’m also aware that they showed in her case that when her consultants aren’t in control of what she’s doing she’s not a very good politician at all and it raises very very serious questions about whether she’s just a factory made political product of Axelrod’s machine or she can actually do this on her own.

Here is the debate video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJSPW10RG4U&noredirect=1

Comment by Shore Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 11:08 am
Walsh is done; he raises his negative balance every time he opens his mouth. I can’t see Duckworth losing unless she says or does something more outrageous than Walsh’s comments and actions so far. That’s probably impossible.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 11:33 am
The two things I respect the most about Congressman Schilling - although I still call him Bobby after spending countless hours walking precincts and making phone calls for him - are his true “Regular Joe” persona and his willingness to actually answer questions at campaign and government functions. He’s about as real as it gets.

Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 11:41 am
The Trib endorsed Bean over Walsh in 2010. So did the Daily Herald and the Sun-Times. I can’t imagine that his performance since has persuaded editors of the error of their ways.

Comment by reformer Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 11:44 am
The tribune also endorsed schakowsky over pollack-an actual republican in 2010. They endorsed bean because she was basically in line with the current tribune editorial board which has a conservative technocrat thinking right now.

Comment by Shore Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 12:01 pm
@reformer -

Good point. Worth noting that we have a completely different electorate in presidential v. gubernatorial cycle elections.

Independent voters and younger voters turn out in much bigger numbers in presidential years.

In fact, in a presidential year, voters under 35 dramatically outnumber voters over 65 in Illinois.

@Shore - don’t forget that the Tribune editorial board is also socially progressive, reflecting the values of their largely suburban readership.

The Tribune supports reasonable gun control, reproductive rights, equal rights for gay Americans — won a Pulitzer for championing death penalty reforms.

A Democrat with a solid resume, thoughtful ideas, willingness to cross party lines, and who is independent from Madigan, Berrios and Stroger as every reasonable hope of getting the Tribune endorsement against a pro-gun, anti-choice, anti-gay Republican.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 12:08 pm
As a liberal, I have grown to appreciate Bobby Schilling as my congressman. I’m going to miss him, having been remapped to the 13th.

Comment by Cheswick Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 12:09 pm
Schilling is toast. One and done.

Comment by redrum Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 12:32 pm
So Walsh is not getting Koch brothers et al. money like other tea party Republicans? One would think that Walsh’s campaign would be flush with cash. Maybe they think he is just not worth it.

As far as Duckworth being a programmed candidate, what about Walsh and his stereotypes about Democrats, such as that they made people dependent on welfare? He may seem like an off the cuff kind of guy, but he just repeats far right wing talking points.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 12:36 pm
Duckworth better win this one, or she is going to turn into the Democratic Jim Oberweiss.

Comment by Kilroy Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 12:43 pm
Let’s not forget Walsh BARELY won in a much more GOP district in a 2010 GOP year, against an opponent who failed to take him seriously until too late in the game. He’s just not your typical presidential-year IL swing voters’ cup of tea. He’d be fine if this were Tennessee or South Carolina. Dude is in major trouble in the Illinois suburbs.

Comment by ZC Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 12:45 pm
Forget the 99% vs 1%, someone needs to start a group against the 95.4%ers who are funding Duckworth. This discreptency is truley disturbing. Is there a number for Walsh’s money, is it even close to as disturbing as her’s?

Who are the 95.4%

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 2:09 pm
And another thing. This could not be more favorable for Duckworth unless the seat was in CA or NY. A carefully drawn district against a first term, contorversy ridden, loudmouth. How can she lose? If she does, just move to wherever her money is coming from.

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 2:19 pm
I’m not saying Joe Walsh is going to lose this election in November.

I’m saying Joe Walsh has already lost this election.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 2:52 pm
“Shore, suburban congressional debates mean little.”

Well, I don’t know. When Henry Hyde wiped the floor in a debate against Cegelis, the buzz was pretty extensive among voters in the old 6th.

The Congressional is a local election. Outside money and major paper endorsements can be rendered meaningless. The conservative buzz already is that Joe pasted Duckworth in their first debate. A win by one vote is still a win and winner takes all in these things– Joe has the chops and drive to bring it home, voter by voter.

PS Duckworth was campaigning in a neighborhood last night twelve miles out of her district. LOL

Comment by Conservative Republican Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 2:59 pm
===When Henry Hyde wiped the floor in a debate against Cegelis===

If you have to go back eight years for an example, it just proves my original point.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 3:09 pm
Schilling is a personable guy that people tend to like. His problem is that he is a Tea Party shill.

Schilling once voted against a project that would have added an Amtrak train from the Quad Cities to Chicago. Which was right in line with what the Tea Party wanted him to do. The problem was a lot more people in his district wanted that train. He got inundated with criticism over his vote. His response was pretty lame, he said Senator Durbin would save the train.

In every email I get from Schilling, he proclaims his support for the jobs at the Rock Island Arsenal. When it was pointed out to him that his vote to reduce defense spending could hurt the Arsenal, he said “no one thought the cuts would move ahead”.

Just because a politician is gregarious and a good campaigner, does not mean he represents his district well.

Comment by Paul Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 3:22 pm
Paul, he may be a T-party shill, but he never did join the T-party caucus. And thus ends my defense of Bobby Schilling.

Comment by Cheswick Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 3:54 pm
Congressman Schilling used to be friendly and real before he was elected to office. The last few times I’ve run into him over the last 6 months(and he knows me pretty well) he has either ignored me or been terribly rude. I know he’s a big shot Congressman now, but sheesh.

Comment by Lil' Enchilada Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 4:43 pm
I also want to admit that I’m a conservative democrat who crossed over for Schilling last time. I probably won’t do it again. I’m not in love with Ms. Bustos as a candidate either. Who knows.

Comment by Lil' Enchilada Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 4:45 pm
Schilling will win because God is on his side.

Comment by Paul Wild Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 5:19 pm
Schilling is a very good candidate. I see him winning.

Walsh is a very good candidate. I pray he loses.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jul 16, 12 @ 8:49 pm
If Schilling manages to beat Bustos, I’ve heard whispers that he might take on Durbin in 2014. They really don’t seem to like each other.

Comment by Inside Baseball Tuesday, Jul 17, 12 @ 11:24 am