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You can’t “fully inform” voters without money

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Illinois
Polls

…Kennedy basically said he’s not dropping out because he expects to win. That his polling shows when people are “fully informed,” they choose Kennedy far above his opponents. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that “fully informed” isn’t on the table. “Fully informed,” like “perfect vacuum,” is a physical impossibility, an ideal dreamworld that doesn’t apply here. He’d do better polling people who are completely uninformed, because that’s basically who’ll find their way to the voting booths in March.

That’s kinda beside the point.

Kennedy ended December with $737,310.86 in the bank. He’s since raised $286,900, most of it from himself.

During the 4th quarter, Kennedy’s campaign spent on average $132,844 a week. So, he’s probably down to about $700K by now.

This is a big state with some very expensive media markets. $700K just isn’t enough to inform anyone about anything.

Unless and until he can raise the money to go up on TV with an effective ad campaign that can burn in his message, that poll of his means zero.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:14 am

Comments

What exactly constitutes a fully informed voter?

Comment by My New Handle Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:18 am
Same thing with Marie Newman, although at least she has a compelling message to tell Dem primary voters. But if you can’t get it on the air, it may as well not exist.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:20 am
If Kennedy had Biss’s money or Biss had Kennedy’s name then either would have a good chance of beating Pritzker. Instead we got two guys fighting real hard to get second place. One of them needs to drop out.

Comment by ItsMillerTime Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:20 am
Kennedy needs a liberal Ken Griffin, someone who can write him a $5 Million check.

The problem is that the closest person Illinois has to a liberal Ken Griffin is … JB Pritzker.

Comment by Fax Machine Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:30 am
It’s one thing to think you and your name are popular enough to overcome a lack of monies to win an election.

It’s another if you embrace that thought openly and publicly as a strategy.

Right now, those working and consulting for Kennedy see him and this campaign like The Bamboo Room in “Goodfellas”

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:33 am
Key to winning the downstate vote was perfected by Blago. He aligned himself with every popular democrat in our region. Joint appearances were a big factor in winning the primary vote down here.

Comment by Downstate Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:35 am
Some might say you can’t fully inform voters, period. Instead you get a bunch of cash and throw out your slant on things.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:36 am
If only Kennedy and Biss had a dollar for every campaign promise they have made so far they would be rolling in the dough. As it is, Pritzker is the only one who could claim that prize.

Comment by Blue dog dem Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:38 am
Rich…this Dem deal is a ho hummer….won’t get big turnout.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:41 am
“What exactly constitutes a fully informed voter?”
Someone who agrees with the candidate and ignores everything else.

Comment by Huh? Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:45 am
==Joint appearances were a big factor in winning the primary vote down here.==

Appearances *at all* are the key; our inferiority complex manifests as just wanting candidates to visit.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:47 am
LOL you probably don’t want fully informed voters because if they new everything …. they might not show up to even vote!

Comment by NoGifts Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 11:56 am
Kennedy is running one of the weirdest campaigns since Eisendrath. Totally “quixotic.”

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:02 pm
== LOL you probably don’t want fully informed voters because if they new everything …. they might not show up to even vote! ==

Actually, they show up and vote for the “least bad” candidate.

Comment by RNUG Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:12 pm
I suspect that any politician would claim that any voter would support them if “fully informed”. This isn’t all that different than what Rauner has been claiming over the last few years and the reason he had to overhaul his press shop. Money is always a big part of this. But sometimes it’s the messenger and not the message. Kennedy in particular suffers from this. We often know what he’s trying to say, but frequently fumbles the delivery.

Comment by Pundent Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:19 pm
Fully informed voter includes knowing the candidate. Kennedy’s problems include the fact that he’s probably the least likable of the big three candidates in this race.

I’ve heard the same thing from countless friends. They meet JB, want to dislike the billionaire but find him surprisingly likable. They meet Kennedy, want to like him but usually have the opposite reaction. And they meet Daniel, are sometimes impressed but don’t find him particularly warm and fuzzy.

Bottom line: money is only one of the reasons Kennedy is losing this race.

Comment by Anon0091 Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:33 pm
This is why I vote yes on the poll the other day about publicly funded elections. How many candidates that are superior to J.B. and Rauner are we, the citizens of Illinois, deprived of because of lack of personal wealth. I’d say plenty and that’s just my guess..

Comment by Mouthy Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 12:51 pm
Maybe Kennedy ought to give Blair Hull a call.

Comment by anon2 Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:01 pm
Agree with RNUG. This past decade in Illinois especially has been a lesser-of-two-evils choice, which makes voting a depressing and seeming pointless activity. Maybe that is the strategy of both parties. Suppress turnout through voter ennui rather than tricky registration tactics.

Comment by My New Handle Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:08 pm
Pritzy will win regardless, Rauner and all the other raunerites that blindly follow him instead of their district will soon be job hunting

Comment by Scuba Steve Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:14 pm
=Right now, those working and consulting for Kennedy see him and this campaign like The Bamboo Room in “Goodfellas”=

So doesn’t that mean at some point they have to “torch the place”?

Comment by m Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 1:48 pm
‘My guys gonna lose’, my guys gonna lose.’ Tommy Two Times.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 2:04 pm
==Actually, they show up and vote for the “least bad” candidate.==

That’s been the two-party peoples’ preference for some time.

Comment by Usually Blocked By Rich Friday, Jan 19, 18 @ 4:21 pm