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Rauner dumps another million into his campaign

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Illinois

* Here we go again. A new A-1 was filed today by the Bruce Rauner campaign…

That’s a total of $3 million of his own money, in case you’re keeping track. And that doesn’t include what he’s given to his term limits PAC.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 9:59 am

Comments

For Bruce, that’s pocket change.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:06 am
Rauner, Roeser, Gidwitz, Griffin, Uihlien et al have proposed changing the name of the GOP to the BBC - Billionaire Boys Club.

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:07 am
It’s one week’s pay for him.

Comment by Cassiopeia Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:07 am
I understand its chump change to him but this is crazy.

Comment by fed up Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:07 am
Of course, now that Levine is off the payroll - that frees up $300k per year.

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:10 am
Could somebody add up how much Rauner made just listening to Quinn’s State of the State Address?

Comment by Almost the Weekend Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:10 am
It would seem the media outlets are going to have a banner year.

Comment by Bemused Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:14 am
Let’s skip the primary and general election altogether. Let’s auction the Governor’s Mansion to the highest bidder and deposit the monies in the Illinois Treasury.

Comment by Upon Further Review Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:15 am
“A million here, a million there, pretty soon your talking about real money.”

Senator Everett Dirksen

Comment by John A Logan Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:15 am
Just think that some of that money was made from teachers’ pensions.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:15 am
Golly… I hope he’s not planning on subverting the democratic process with that kind of cash.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:16 am
Where is the receipt-oh yeah that comes on election day.

Comment by Obama's Puppy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:16 am
“Lunch is on the Rauner Crew!”

When this is all said and done, the Firm might kick me out for keeping the Firm off the Grave Train.

I like the $20 million number, we still have 7 weeks, so $20MM is in that window.

Rauner ponying up the Million, specifically today, puts the “2PACS” on notice (like they need to be?) that the Rauner Crew is going to try to dull the knives, and spend themselves through the storm. They are not going to back down, but “double-down” at every turn.

You cant buy honesty and integrity. Every time you think you paid the freight to seem honest and have integrity, they move that line by calling out your “truths” you are either trying to suppress, or tring to deflect.

There is never enough money to save a bad reputation, or to squash who you really are. Money is the instrument of change, but in this instance, in this context, this money is the instrument of concealment.

The avalanche of raw dollars can still be pushed back with education. The ace in the hole is a Ground Game. Rauner has still not proven to have the necessary aparatus to get his “pluses” voted.

This bus tour; was phone calls and “drop-by” farse, decorated and shown as rallies. One restaurant, and the camnpaign itslef conceded that the Rauner Crew thought it would be a great place to visit, the restaurant, for all politicing, thinks otherwise, Rauner or not.

Education and Ground Game wins the day. Rauner going $1MM week after week should have put the “3″ and “2PACS” on notice weeks and weeks ago.

The only thing left that is shocking to me, is the fact daylight is burning, and waiting now, seven weeks out, is like waiting for the train at 11 am, but it left at 10:50…

Maybe Bruce Rauner wil finally give us all the price tag for that honesty and integrity, however, the price keeps rising…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:17 am
DuPage: took the words right out of my mouth.

These folks live in a different universe.

Comment by walker Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:17 am
I wish they would change the law so the candidate’s home address didn’t have to appear on things like this. I get why they do it but there are a lot of whackos out there and despite any misgivings you may have about this or any other candidate these addresses are where their families are too. There has to be a better happy medium that provides disclosure and offers some discretion for safety.

Comment by The Captain Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:18 am
I have no problem with this other than it makes him look completely desperate. Further, it casts a pall over any General Election hopes he may have of looking “In-Touch” with the common may. He’d have been better spreading any big self donations particularly with the news cycle our friend has found himself in.

Comment by Dizzy Cow Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:21 am
Bruce could have purchased 55,555 more watches with that money!

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:24 am
It’s nice to have money. Anyone would tell you so. Something maybe lost in shuffle here is how little time he has to spend raising money, providing a lot more time and calendar flexibility to be at other events that aren’t fundraising oriented. Meanwhile others have to spend nearly half their time raising money, maybe more than that. No matter who you like or don’t like, Campaign schedules are “time eating monsters” for everyone. Even having a little flexibility makes a huge difference. He’s charted what kind of campaign he wants to run, understands the cost, and is logistically moving forward. I’ll leave alone the metaphors about buying integrity and honesty, etc. Plenty of Illinois pols have disproved that over the years. They all advertise to make themselves look good and the other guy(s) look bad. There’s always going to be way too much money in Illinois politics because no one truly wants to reform that. People who can do what BR is doing now rarely come along. He’s an exception, not the rule.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:27 am
Traditionally, this is a really bad sign.

Self-funding (now up to like 33%) is usually one of the worst indicators about your campaign’s success. Peter Fitzgerald was successful in 1998 running statewide (and he put in a lot more than Rauner has), but he had already successfully run for and was holding public office (something nearly all of the self-funders, including Rauner, decline to do). And of course he was running against Braun.

And Rauner is showing a lot of the maladies of other self-financing candidates, in terms of mistakes on the stump and his questionable business practices.

But if nobody else puts any serious money on the table … sad to say it, but right now you could fairly say that one of Rauner’s primary campaign models is Scott Lee Cohen.

Comment by ZC Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:30 am
Before anyone cites Gidwitz, McKenna, Hull, etc. Remember, they were rich and that’s where the comparisons end. None were savvy on the political side to get the same value out of being rich. Most our Governors were never rich, except the ones who went to jail trying to become rich.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:30 am
The trickle down effect.

Can only hope the wild spending by Rauner soon becomes analogous to a gambler trying to recoup losses on a losing night.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:35 am
===Can only hope the wild spending by Rauner soon becomes analogous to a gambler trying to recoup losses on a losing night.===

Yep.

Instead of chasing the money, Rauner is spending the money to keep the charade from collapsing.

Cahing good after bad money… to claim the charade is real.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:38 am
Apologies to Anonymous-That was me

Comment by Samurai Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:41 am
Sad, just thinking of all the charaties he could have helped instead of ruining his own name.
Is this for his superbowl buy?
That would need its own comment section.

Comment by Superanon Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:44 am
Superanon, in the interest of fairness, he’s been extremely charitable for a long, long period of time. None of his competition, even combined can match his charitable giving even proportionally. There are plenty of fair questions to ask and plenty of fair scrutiny to be examined, his charitable giving is off the table compared to others. And, it’s his money, not campaign contribution funds that have done the giving.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:48 am
===he’s been extremely charitable for a long, long period of time. None of his competition, even combined can match his charitable giving even proportionally.===

Honesty and Integrity have a high price when trying to buy what you know you are lacking?

Rauner builds a school to help kids, but thinks nothing about climbing over 7000 Chicago Worthy Children for his Denied New Trier Living Daughter?

Yep. The cost is high. Need to ease a conscious and you are rich? Drop a million, go to one of 9 houses, and just make sure you tell everyone about the charity.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:52 am
How much does Peyton Manning charge for an endorsement?
Could he dp a play on words, Peyton Prep, Walter Peyton, Peyton Manning.

Comment by Superanon Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 10:55 am
=his charitable giving is off the table compared to others=

Off the chart as a percentage of his annual income? I’d like to see the hard evidence of that. He can overwhelm with a big number, but that doesn’t make it even a significant percentage.

A guy made the claim - show me the evidence

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:01 am
Oswego W reminds us all of the importance of a ground game, which Mr. Rauner apparently doesn’t have. I’m curious about the impact of the growing pervasiveness of social media, and whether a well funded and advised candidate today can use it in Illinois to offset absence of a ground game. Maybe actually reach those disaffected young voters and convince them to go to the polls? Is current technology a game changer? Yet?

Comment by Cook County Commoner Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:04 am
By the way who is the Paragon of Honesty and Integrity you’re promoting instead? Be careful, you might wind up with Pat Quinn on this one. And he may only be a meter ahead.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:04 am
Joe Biden, I’m not here for you to walk through my brain. Look it up yourself. Look up the others while you’re at it. He’s been overwhelming in the millions for years, especially in charitable giving to education. It’s been in the news, it’s not arcane info. Just read.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:10 am
===…the impact of the growing pervasiveness of social media, and whether a well funded and advised candidate today can use it in Illinois to offset absence of a ground game.===

No snark, I have had that rattle in my empty head for a while, given the hand, specifically Rauner has, and if that Social Media avenue can actually get a GOTV to be effective with Social Media as its sole engine.

I lean “no”, but here’s the rub; I have an idea, untested and even based on a House of Cards fagility that makes me even shutter to roll out.

In a time, when voting becomes overwhelming prevalent via internet, phone, whatever, I think the impact of a substancial and significant Ground Game can be achieved in proportion to the impact of the actual votes cast via the Internet/Cyber avenue.

This discussion is best after a 3rd pitcher of adult beverages.

Good question.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:11 am
===He’s been overwhelming in the millions for years, especially in charitable giving to education. It’s been in the news, it’s not arcane info.===

Like the tens and tens of thousands after the clouting to Payton Prep….

The price is still moving …

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:13 am
CCC, none of these guys has a “ground game” to scare anyone. Dan R comes the closest to an organization, and it’s not causing anyone to shiver. I would predict that by the time the troops are combing precincts, Rauner’s will be as formidable as anyone else’s and probably more so. They won’t be traditional PCs and Committemen, but there will be plenty of them all over, and everywhere. I might be wrong, but we’ll see. Daily declaration: I am a Supporter of BR. You call me a “drive by” or a “Raunerbot”, you’ll be displaying ignorance. I’m an advocate who’s evolved here and still paying very close attention by “inspecting what I’m expecting”.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:16 am
Cynically, but respectfully stated Willy, I think the Payton contributions count too. I’m not comfortable with that process, but I’m sure that school, it’s board, it’s administration, it’s students and it’s parents are not complaining about what those additional resources may have provided. Touche.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:18 am
===I would predict that by the time the troops are combing precincts, Rauner’s will be as formidable as anyone else’s and probably more so.===

And …

===I’m an advocate who’s evolved here and still paying very close attention by “inspecting what I’m expecting”.===

Based on all that inspecting and expecting, you can say Rauner will have one as formitable?

If you mean “none”, than I might stipulate.

Touting a Bus Tour via “drop-by” locations or having a company open its doors to “voluntarilty” listen to Rauner and take pictures of a huge rally does not a Ground Game make.

If postering was a Ground Game, Dillard would not have to whine about 193 votes all the time.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:21 am
@10:14AM=media outlets are going to have a banner year.=
That’s for sure. Get ready for a lot of mud-slinging. Rauner is getting the yardapult ready.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:55 am
A Guy: Charter Schools happen to be one of the best, if not the best, tax shelters available to the uber rich. NINE multi-million dollar residences doesn’t convey a message of charity.

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:03 pm
==Something maybe lost in shuffle here is how little time he has to spend raising money, providing a lot more time and calendar flexibility to be at other events that aren’t fundraising oriented.–

Once again, our Guy makes up something ridiculous and presents it as reasonable.

Check out his committee. He’s a fundraising juggernaut. That’s what he does. He’s put together a network across the country. 50K and 100K contributions from New York, Cali and Florida are common.

But he gives to charity. So he’s a sweetheart. In the tank, much?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:08 pm
Oh Slinger, you charmer you. And smart as a whip too. I bet you whatever is in your pocket, he has to spend far much less time tending to his juggernaut than than the other 3 roving the state with a tin cup. Just calculate the number of fundraising events he doesn’t have to go to. He can be elsewhere. Sorry to insult your intelligence with my “ridiculous presenting as reasonable thoughts”. I should just enter discussions where everyone agrees and I’ll learn more. Normally you’re better than this. Now, Grasshopper has an appt. with a potential client. Wish me luck. I’m going to try to make what I’m selling sound reasonable.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:19 pm
Such a large investment to attempt to win a job that pays about what? $177,500 a year as Gov?

I wouldn’t invest more to secure a job than it would pay to do.

Comment by FormerParatrooper Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:19 pm
===Normally you’re better than this.===

You have this habit of being critical of those commenting on your posts, judging how they are responding, and it appearing to be less than what you expect.

The sign you are losing an arguement…

If you can think of a better way for - wordslinger - to take you to task, and have it be - wordslinger - quality, roll that out.

Bruce Rauner has tenticles everywhere fundraising for him, bundling, and calling in his money people early, from all over the country.

If that takes less time than to go shake hands with the rabble who actually vote here in Illinois, I have no idea.

Sometimes a $25 funder gets more bodies to work for you on Election Day than the one $50K check from out of stater, who many have never been to Illinois, but made a 15% profit off the last pension deal secured by being an insider.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:36 pm
A Guy, you’re just not paying attention. The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:52 pm
Rich has said and I believe, Rauner is playing a better game than some give him credit for. He does not need a ground game at this point, he just needs to buy his way thru the primary. After that the State GOP works on his ground game. Along with that he spends 1 Mil a week against maybe 10 Mil total on the PQ side. This is far from over.

Comment by Bemused Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:38 pm
===He’s been overwhelming in the millions for years, especially in charitable giving to education.===

As he and his compatriots profit from that industry, any money given to charter schools doesn’t count.

Comment by CollegeStudent Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:48 pm
===He does not need a ground game at this point, he just needs to buy his way thru the primary.===

If you can’t your voters to the polls and someone else can get their voters to the polls, who wins?

===After that the State GOP works on his ground game.===

Scorched Earth and “Career Politicians, including some Republicans” does not make for a happy aparatus working for Bruce Rauner. Plus the Unions, the Dems, the moderates, and the “record” will be in full bloom come July…Bill Brady found out about a lack of Ground Game quite quick against Pat Quinn.

===Rauner is playing a better game than some give him credit for.===

Rauner is playing a great game, maximizing his advantages, and taking it to the “3″ in ways that can’t respond.

Yet, Bruce Rauner has yet to face one once of real scrutiny, and public backlash yet.

Its like the kid who can make 100 shots on a basketball court, when no one is guarding him. Get someone to contest some shots, make him work to make baskets, then you get the true measure.

Rauner has yet to face any oppostion in the Air War…hard to measure how thigs can hold up with no stress put upon it.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:52 pm
@Bemused: I agree with you he doesn’t need a ground game to win the primary if he can drop a blizzard of unopposed TV commercials a la Scott Lee Cohen.

But for the general, just what state GOP ground game are you talking about? The “state GOP ground game” that did nothing to stop Democratic supermajorities last time? The unopposed Crossroads SuperPAC commercials “ground game” responsible for Kirk barely winning but that couldn’t put Brady over the top in 2010? JBT’s personal popularity “ground game”?

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:54 pm
===He’s been overwhelming in the millions for years===

That’s a good thing. But a little context. Average percent of income given to charity is 4.7 percent.

4.7 percent of $53 million is about $2.5 million. I honestly don’t know how much he gave to charity last year, although I do know he has been pretty generous, and I did want to put that into just a bit of context.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:54 pm
Thanks Rich. 5% nowadays is pretty generous. Very wealthy people can be notoriously frugal with charity at times. There are wonderful exceptions like Phil Corboy, John Bryan and several others I’ve worked with and known through Catholic Charities. The point I was making is that his contributions to schools has been laudable and appreciated.
Wordslinger, I guess I’m just not smart enough to run with you dude. I’ll appreciate the posts that are profound to me that you write none the less.
Willie, we disagree on something here. So be it. I appreciate your analysis of my words and the status of my position in the argument. I don’t think I’ve won or lost any argument here. I wasn’t thinking of it that way. And I don’t think I’ll ever think of an idea exchange that way.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 4:15 pm
OW
About your comments @ 1:52
Perhaps I should have said “If he can Buy his way thru the primary”
I try to keep up with what goes on here and watch what is out there in public and I would think you have to agree there is a disconnect. I think as of now the polls for GOP voters put him in the lead. Maybe things change when someone makes a real effort to rough him up.
I have had to wonder if the other 3 are hedging their bets some figuring why rough up a possible future super donor. Kind of let the rich guy have his fun and maybe he will help us after he gets bored of our sandbox. He will not get that type of pass after the primary but with enough money he gets to spin things better than whirlpool.
Pretty sure the boys who sell airtime want him to stay around until fall.

Comment by Bemused Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 4:25 pm
- Bemused -,

I hear ya. The reality is that you have to get those who support you, to actually get up and do so. That takes GOTV, and we all don’t need to look any further than Brady, and all his polls showing him in front, and the swearing-in of Pat Quinn months later.

Gotta vote your Pluses. Ask Dillard. Ask Brady.

Also, I hear ya on the White Knight idea, but looking at the D-2s of Rauner, and where the Illinois money is coming from, the only financial windfall the “3″ are going to get is the “2PACS” going full tilt on Rauner, and building a Ground Game to capitalize. Seven Weeks. That’s it. Much respect.

- A Guy ..-,

Well. Good luck. You and “your guy” won’t get too many more passes like the last 10 months. This is probaly “it”. At some point, Rauner, “will have to answer for Rahm.”… “and alot of other things.”

It won’t be me, or - wordslinger - or any one individual, but it will be Rauner himself that will inflict the most damage to “Bruce Rauner”, it just might be too late after March to make it right for the GOP then.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 4:36 pm
Oh brother. I wonder how many YEARS it’d take the Averge Working American to make the ONE MILlion buck$ that this fella can drop on himself in one day (20-25 maybe?)–let alone how MUCH longer it’d take for one who struggles along at the Minimum Wage he so despises??!!

Or maybe Rauner earned it one day off of the profits from his NURSING HOME deal as he drove off from the Home with that $weet Million in his back pocket while some poor, old bloak living there in substandard conditions was kickin’ the bucket…?!

And to think some people actually have the audacity to suggest with a straight face that this guy isn’t–and BLATANTly, openly, and noTORioussly so–trying to BUY this Election?

And ya wonder why his 3 opponents are constantly taking whacks at him! What other choice do they have?!

And, yet, somehow, whether it’s sooner, in the upcoming GOP Primary somehow, or later in the General Election if he gets there, my gut just keeps telling me that the fine People of Illinois who care enough to VOTE, are gonna see right THROUGH this guy and what we who follow this stuff SEE CLEARLY what’s happening here, and send him home packin’ for good, to his Winnetka Mansion…or would it be to the ChiCAgo Estate..?! Oh well, when you’re THAT rich, I guess it just doesn’t really matter, and maybe it just depends on the day or week, ‘cuz the Limo’ll always be waiting either way…!

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 4:47 pm
That was meant to be spelled above: “…noTORiously…”–with only ONE “s.”

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 4:49 pm
TV viewers need to keep informed & the million will help.

Comment by Hans Sanity Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 5:26 pm
=That was meant to be spelled above: “…noTORiously…”–with only ONE “s.” =

Seriously? That’s the only typo or grammatical error you can find in your entire post?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 6:30 pm