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Kennedy says he’s raised over $1 million

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Illinois

* That’s more like it…

Chris Kennedy’s campaign for governor of Illinois announced today it has received over $1 million from over 3,000 individual contributors since launching his candidacy six weeks ago.

Kennedy has raised more individual contributions in the first six weeks of his campaign than Governor Rauner did between announcing his campaign and the Republican primary in 2014.

“Thousands of Illinois families have contributed to this effort because they know fixing our state’s challenges will take more than a big wallet,” Kennedy said. “Illinois has never been in worse shape than it is under Governor Rauner. We need a fundamental change in state government. Thousands of Illinois families have responded to our message because they want to restore the promise of the American Dream. I am ready to bring my unique set of experiences to build a stronger economy that works for every Illinois family, no matter where they live in our state.”

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:13 am

Comments

Just 49 short!

Comment by Red Rider Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:18 am
This is better… I still feel that Kennedy needs to get to $2 million as soon as possible, then get to $5-7 million “on hand” for June 30.

This eases some concerns. Throw in the $250K in NYC… that is building.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:23 am
Good news from the Kennedy crew today!

Comment by Downstate Dem Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:28 am
That confirms the rumor I’d heard last week but so far he’s only disclosed about $400K of the million. If he doesn’t file any other A-1’s this week that would mean he’s raised about $600K in small donations which would be impressive too.

Comment by The Captain Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:36 am
Amybody hearing rumors of a Kennedy/Costello ticket?

Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:39 am
He needs 10. He’s only raised 1 in his best quarter. This is a pathetic showing.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:40 am
It is over for Kennedy…he just doesn’t know it yet.

Comment by yellowteeth Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:41 am
===He needs 10. He’s only raised 1 in his best quarter.===

We’re a year away from Election Day, we’re not even through the spring. June 30, Kennedy gets to $5-7 million, he’ll be where he needs to be. Take a breath.

===This is a pathetic showing.===

Nope. This is lower than my expectation of $2 million but having a million and $250K sitting in NYC… Kennedy is fine right now.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:46 am
“We’re a year away from Election Day, we’re not even through the spring. June 30, Kennedy gets to $5-7 million, he’ll be where he needs to be. Take a breath.”

I disagree. For connected candidates, your first quarter is almost always your best because you get to hit up your rich best friends and biggest donors. He needed to show MORE in the first quarter - not less.

Comment by Anon0091 Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:53 am
===I disagree. For connected candidates, your first quarter is almost always your best because you get to hit up your rich best friends and biggest donors. He needed to show MORE in the first quarter - not less===

1) The caps are off. If you think these first quarter numbers are going to be the “best” numbers, you must’ve missed 2014 and Rauner dropping a million at a time, at any time. Traditional metrics don’t measure things now. Now it’s benchmarks in hopes of not getting swamped.

2) With those caps off, momentum and the ebb and flow of Rauner will dictate monies for the likes of a Kennedy and a Pritzker. There will be answering of things and pooling monies or drawing from PACs even unlike 2014. It will be up to Kennedy to get the benchmark of $5-7 million by June 30, before State Fair, before petitions, and the ebb and flow will help.

3) Mystery. Kennedy is now facing a billionaire. Why put out a number ($8 million, for example) that Pritzker can then match with a wire transfer. Remember Rauner. “We raised $500K… ” Rauner then world have an A-1 for a million. We’re a year out. Mystery is going to be an asset for everyone but Pritzker whose only mystery is how serious and quick wil that “serious” be seen.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:01 am
A few observations:
- At the beginning of the year the biggest concern about Kennedy was whether he was actually going to run and being committed to the race. His $250,000 contribution answered that. And the other $800,000 he raised in two months shows he’s willing to put in the work.
- Pawar and Biss raised significant money online, but they also had lists that they’ve been building as elected officials over many years. Kennedy was starting from scratch. 3,000 contributions. That’s impressive.
- And I disagree with OW about 2nd quarter goals. Voters won’t start paying attention until, at best, late this year. I don’t disagree with your goals, but I think the timeline is more forgiving. With the Kennedy brand already established, it costs him less to communicate.

Comment by Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:06 am
Fair enough. But I have zero doubt JB will write whatever size check is necessary. Kennedy will not.

Also, it’s worth noting he still hasn’t filed any new a1s. So he’s going to have to file a ton of them in the next 32 hours and/or needs to show more small contributions than he’s saying he has.

Comment by Anon0091 Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:08 am
===Voters won’t start paying attention until, at best, late this year.===

It’s not about the voters, it’s about creeping up with the monies needed and not having what happened to Dillard, Brady, and Rutherford in fundraising “goals”, only to be swamped when touting monies that Rauner matches with a phone call.

It’s measures to be climbing, but not seen as a peaking to be swamped too soon.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:10 am
===But I have zero doubt JB will write whatever size check is necessary===

“We’ll see.” Pritzker can easily do it, but will he? It’s more the exception, and still is, that the wealthy spend full tilt.

===…he’s (Kennedy) going to have to file a ton of them in the next 32 hours and/or needs to show more small contributions than he’s saying he has.===

Your hand-wringing concern is noted. (Sigh)

A candidate releases specific numbers, and you think they’re next move is a release that says “just kidding”?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:18 am
Kennedy doesn’t need as much as Pritzker. Of course, they can both self-fund, but Kennedy will get loads more free media coverage.

The big danger for the Democrats is if one of these titans goes Al Hofeld on the other.

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:26 am
Kennedy can’t self-fund. Don’t know why you think he can or will. He only busted the caps so he could collect larger outside checks.

Comment by Anon0091 Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:42 am
=== Don’t know why you think he can or will.===

Reading is fundamental. I never said Kennrdy would or could self-fund.

===He only busted the caps so he could collect larger outside checks===

… and why not let that play out, in a long game. It’s April.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:02 am
Willy, I wasn’t responding to you. Lake County Democrat said he could self-fund.

Comment by Anon0091 Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:04 am
Kennedy said he would spend $50-100 million of his own money. Why shouldn’t we believe him?

http://abc7chicago.com/news/chris-kennedy-running-for-illinois-governor/1743825/

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:31 am
===Kennedy will get loads more free media coverage===

He’s not good on screen, so that doesn’t help him unless its surrogates doing the work, and that’s not going to win it for him.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 12:07 pm
===Kennedy was starting from scratch.===

What a load of bull.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 12:10 pm
Kennedy will get free media, he’s leading in the polls.

Kennedy will do fine on camera, if he can just show a calm demeanor and a presence that is someone who can speak to the politics and governing knowledgably.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 12:13 pm
lake county democrat, the day after that report the Kennedy camp said that Charles misinterpreted what Kennedy said.

Comment by Juice Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 1:16 pm
Juice - appreciate the updated info (truly). I’m seeing lots of quotes though where he says he’ll spend money so I’m guessing they were just protesting the part about the amount pledged. It’s hard for me to imagine him not spending enormous amounts of money on this race (or Pritzger doing the same) and I’m still going on that assumption, but I guess there’s always reason to be suspicious!

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 1:35 pm
He probably about $99M short.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:01 pm
lake county democrat, here’s the denial.

https://capitolfax.com/2017/02/09/kennedy-aide-denies-report-on-planned-spending/

I mean, Kennedy is rich, but I suspect he’s not rich enough to have that kind of dough to spend on a campaign.

Comment by Juice Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:16 pm
If the Dems have a reasonably competitive candidate, then the final contest will be over Rauner’s perceived failures and successes, and how well the “because Madigan” theme plays.

I’ve been hearing an awful lot of “because Madigan” out here in the suburbs, that wasn’t there before. It’s becoming a real factor.

Going to be an interesting 18 months.

Comment by walker Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:10 pm
That’s quite a bit different than what we were all speculating yesterday! Which says more about us than anything…

I still think Kennedy needs to have his best months of the primary this year. Pritzker will beat him on the money, and his frequent public mistakes will tear him down if he doesn’t get a handle on them.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:35 pm