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The Illinois campaign money tree has a lot of branches

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• Illinois

* The Sun-Times looks at the money…

Thanks to hefty infusions of cash from multimillionaire Rauner and his wealthy supporters, the Illinois Republican Party topped the Democrats by taking in about $21 million since July 2015, state records show. Liberty Principles, a super PAC supporting Republicans, took in another $10 million.

“I’ve witnessed and been part of campaigns where we’ve been outspent by two or three times by the House Democrats,” said Jim Durkin, the House Republican leader. “Now we’re competing dollar for dollar statewide.”

Over the same period, the four political committees that Madigan controls — including the state Democratic Party, which he chairs — have collected more than $14 million. The top donors, as in years past, are unions and their political action committees. […]

By using multiple political committees, Madigan and his allies are able to gather more money from donors than would be allowed for a single committee under state campaign finance laws. Funds also are being moved from one committee to another. […]

As [Rep. Kate Cloonen’s] race grows more heated and expensive — at $1.7 million and counting — her challenger, attorney Lindsay Parkhurst, has received support from Liberty Principles, Proft’s Republican super PAC.

While she fights for her political life, Cloonen’s committee also has become a piggy bank for others. In the last week, more than $300,000 in contributions to her have been redistributed to Madigan’s committees and other campaign funds, including those of several legislators in tough races.

Those transfers by Cloonen are a bit weird, and I went through them with subscribers last week.

* From the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform…

Contribution limits are also lifted if independent expenditures supporting or opposing a single candidate in a race exceed $250,000 in statewide races or $100,000 in all other races. The $100,000 mark has been passed in 3 House and 2 Senate races thus far.

The House districts affected are:

46th: Deb Conroy (D) vs. Heidi Holan (R)
59th: Carol Sente (D) vs. Dawn Abernathy (R)
72nd: Michael Halpin (D) vs. Brandi McGuire (R)

The Senate districts affected are:

28th: Laura Murphy (D) vs. Mel Thillens (R)
49th: Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D) vs. Michelle Smith (R)

So far, limits have been removed in a total of 9 races at various levels of government, including the House 114th District, where candidate Bob Romanik (R) has self-funded his campaign against Latoya Greenwood (D) with over $2 million. A total of 16 races saw limits lifted in advance of the March Illinois Primary.

* More…

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 11:17 am

Comments

1. Is there a list of the competitive legislative seats this Fall? There is a lot of money, but any idea on whether these seats are really competitive?

   Comment by Dr X Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 11:25 am

2. The Illinois Republican Party IS…

   Raunerite Bruce Rauner
   Democrat Diana Rauner
   “Wisconsinite” Richard Uihlein
   Versailles Palace’s own Ken Griffin

   If you are good to any/all of these four, you will get millions.

   Not hundreds, not thousands, you get millions.

   Thats the ILGOP. Forgetting that is also forgetting all the GOP use to be.

   Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 11:39 am

3. $5 million from the Rauner pals for Munger, but chi-chi beans for Kirk? Brutal.

   If Kirk should pull this out, he could tell both McConnell and Rauner to pound sand and truly be his own man.

   Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 11:43 am

4. Contribution limits have done nothing to limit contributions however it’s now more complicated than ever to follow the money.

   Comment by The Captain Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 11:46 am

5. I can’t think of a better use for $45 million than political ads.

   Comment by tmfbitu Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 12:13 pm

6. All of the legislative races where caps have been blown off involve Dan Proft’s Liberty Principles PAC.

   Comment by John Gregory (ex-IRN) Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 12:26 pm

7. Kirk is toast. A complete waste of limited campaign dollars.

   Comment by Ron Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 12:29 pm

8. =I can’t think of a better use for $45 million than political ads.=

   My thoughts exactly. Social services dying, universities on the verge of closing, the state is circling the drain, and they’re spending tens of millions on political advertising. What. A. Waste.

   Comment by MSIX Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 12:46 pm

9. @John Gregory

   Except for the 114th House where Romanik’s personal funds lifted the caps.

   Comment by The Captain Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 12:50 pm

10. @TheCaptain

    My mistake. What I meant was all races where limits have been blown off thanks to Super PAC spending.

    Comment by John Gregory (ex-IRN) Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 12:54 pm

11. I hope some political scientist/economist dream team is studying these races. I’d like to see $$$/vote and if there’s a saturation point where more money =/= more votes. I’ve seem some studies, but I think these would be particularly interesting given the heightened political tensions.

    Comment by Chicago_Downstater Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 2:04 pm

12. @rinOW 1139 ; the Illinois Democratic Party is; AFLCIO , Teacahers union, Local 150 IUOE , Laborers PAC Carpenters PAC Plumbers PAC SEIU PAC AFSCME PAC Trial lawyers If you are good to any of these and more you get millions also right ? rinOW ? or not?

    Comment by Railrat Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 3:02 pm

13. - Railrat -

    Labor represents people. Like thousands of… people.

    People is plural

    Now, you can make a case that Democrat Diana Rauner, Raunerite Bruce Rauner, “Wisconsinite” Richard Uihlein and Versailles palace friend Ken Griffin, the 4 of them are “people” and plural, they represent themselves and their own interests.

    “Aw, you’re welcome… “

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 3:18 pm

14. Oh, and - railrat -

    Local 150 had been a staunch supporter of Republicans. Actually, the trades were the “backbone” of the Reagan Democrats… and had helped the GOP.

    So… there’s that too.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 3:22 pm

15. –Kirk is toast. A complete waste of limited campaign dollars.–

    LOL, what limit would that be, with Rauner, Griff and the Bubble Wrap King of Kenosha?

    Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 3:58 pm

16. rinOW @ 322 I’d bet a Bristol burger you weren’t around during Reagan, and yes labor represents thousands but can you prove those thousands voluntarily donate PAC to the candidate they choose? !!! Volunteers of there days labor vs. PAC check off from a CBA ?!!! Prove me wrong rinOW

    Comment by Railrat Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 6:23 pm

17. - rinOW -

    Really?

    Three exclamation points doesn’t make your rant any more coherent.

    ===yes labor represents===

    Yep. Rauner, Diana, Uihlein and Griffin spend their own money, for their own devices.

    ===prove those thousands voluntarily donate PAC to the candidate they choose?===

    Elected leadership. The leaders are elected within the ranks, so the leadership and the thousands make decisions the as we make decisions on elected officials, and those officials face votes for their decisions, and let’s not forget convection votes that throw support to candidates too.

    I didn’t.

    As for Reagan, you’d be surprised what people know in their own lifetimes.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 6:32 pm

18. Oh and rinOW when are those IUOE “Lunchpail Republicans” you’re so fond of going to show up on Trump ,Kirk GOP house reps and senate D2s , then compare ratio of donation ? I’m sure you’ve already done that ? Not

    Comment by Railrat Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 6:34 pm

19. “convention”

    Apologies

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 6:35 pm

20. ===when are those IUOE “Lunchpail Republicans” you’re so fond of going to show up on Trump ,Kirk GOP house reps and senate D2s===

    After Rauner, way before Decatur, actually during the race to beat Quinn, Rauner, the Raunerite, burned the bridges where Republicans walked to meet Local 150.

    Please, keep up, it wasn’t that long ago, honest.

    ===then compare ratio of donation ? I’m sure you’ve already done that ?===

    Rauner burned Labor before raising his WRONG have and took the oath.

    After Decatur, and the “structural reforms” that include diminishing or ending prevailing wage and eliminating collective bargaining, Labor is remembering. Rauner, his wife, his two buddies, they own a political party. You should be happy, lol

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 6:41 pm

21. RinOW not really happy why don’t you look at D2 to see “leadership contributions vs. mandatory membership deduction/ contributions for GOP vs Dems and argue it’s an even playing field ! As far as Decatur I doubt you where there for the ADM/Bridgestone strike if you where and got pepper sprayed like I did it apologize .

    Comment by Railrat Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 6:54 pm

22. “- RinOW -”, really? lol.

    ===not really happy why don’t you look at D2 to see “leadership contributions vs. mandatory membership deduction/ contributions for GOP vs Dems and argue it’s an even playing field !===

    You may have to use your words (you can do it!) and explain what that means.

    I explained how the democratic (small d) works in the union(s), citing leadership and convention support for candidates, so I dunno what you’re saying… exactly… so try, use your words.

    ===As far as Decatur I doubt you where there for the ADM/Bridgestone strike if you where and got pepper sprayed like I did it apologize .===

    I think, no, I know, I was talking about Rauner’s PowerPoint that said Labor makes way too much and is “just killin’ Illinois”

    But… I’m guessing you know that, lol

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 7:01 pm

23. Bertino-Terrant is very consertive anyway and more centrist or republicrats aren’t needed in the DEM.. party HER LOSS AS LONG AS DEMS KEEP THE SENATE IS GOOD FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ISSUES RELATING TO LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES..She would not be missed…

    Comment by Leapfrog Monday, Oct 3, 16 @ 11:14 pm

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