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* From Dan Proft’s Prairie State Wire…
On the last weekend of Aug.1999, then-Illinois House Republican Leader Lee Daniels held a golf outing and fundraiser dinner at Medinah Country Club that attracted 1,200, raising $680,000 for his members’ campaigns– $1.01 million in 2017 dollars, inflation-adjusted.
Jim Durkin, the current House Republican Leader, spent the last weekend of Aug. 2017 hosting a recycling event. That was weeks after holding an animal adoption fair and, before that, a “children’s safety expo.” […]
The summer before an election year was once filled with outings, rallies and donor meetings, as legislative leaders scrambled to friend-raise and fund-raise, amassing the millions required to compete for majorities, from thousands of Republican supporters.
House GOP Leader Durkin and Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady have relinquished the “rainmaker” role their predecessors once embraced. Instead, they are working a single contributor this year who, they hope, will cover it all: Governor Bruce Rauner.
For his House Republican Organization (HRO), which is supposed to fund member campaigns next year, Durkin raised just $60,675 from 19 outside donors between July 1 and Sept 30, according to his filing with the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBE). […]
Durkin and his members need supporter votes, but he isn’t asking for their money. He’s waiting for a check from Rauner, who spent $12 million on House legislative races in 2016, instead.
Excluding Rauner, HRO is on pace to register just 110 outside contributions this year– including corporations and individuals, but not contributions from candidate political action committees– for a grand total of $220,000.
In contrast, two decades ago in 1997, Daniels managed to raise seven times as much money from nine times as many contributors.
Daniels’ House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC) reported $979,314 raised from 1,019 contributors in 1997, the equivalent of $1.506 million today. […]
The Illinois State Medical Society, which represents doctors, donated $1,002,512 to state political campaigns in the 1999-2000 election cycle, or $1.436 million, inflation-adjusted.
In 2015-16, it donated just $536,904, 60 percent less.
The Illinois Manufacturer’s Association donated $453,058 in 1999-2000, or $649,381.
In 2015-16, it gave just $138,311.
Proft is running a primary opponent against Durkin, but he’s not wrong about how things have changed. If Rauner loses next year, the Republican leaders are gonna be in a world of hurt.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:28 am
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Yeah they should be like Dan Proft, who raises money from Dick Uihlein and….that’s about it.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:33 am
A world of hurt……
Which means this whole let’s abandon Rauner cause he lied to us is probably all a joke.
Comment by Baloneymous Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:35 am
Aside from the cheap shots at the staffer I thought it was a pretty good article.
Comment by The Captain Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:40 am
And one day they will all show up to the normal feeding spot and the trough won’t be there. Will they remember how to hunt?
Comment by Harvest76 Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:45 am
===If Rauner loses next year, the Republican leaders are gonna be in a world of hurt.===
Not disagreeing at all, but I can’t see Rauner walking away after what could be, when it’s all said and done, $100 million of his own money when he could still use that money hammer to try to make himself a serious player even with the title “Former Governor”
Perspective?
Let’s look at a couple members.
Mr. Barickman - can’t decide on what was actually said, not said, when it came to school reform, can’t decide if he supports Bruce Rauner after signing HB40. Mr. Barickman’s phony is so the Caucuses can get their money and stay owned by Bruce Rauner.
Ms. Bourne - can’t fully grasp that school districts in her legislative district, according to Charlie Wheeler’s cited numbers, still did better than Chicago in funding, but couldn’t help herself with “misguided” facts. Ms. Bourne was funded by Rauner money, so the phony is the price she’s willing to pay.
Senator Jim Oberweis, former State Central Committeeman - ‘Nember all that SSM “stuff” and platform and Pat Brady must stand up for the platform and Brady should be removed for not supporting the SSM stance of the Party? Welp Mr. Oberweis, the hardline phony conservative is more than fine with Bruce Rauner sign HB40, ’cause Rauner is a “good man” with a whole quote in the newspaper supporting Rauner, after signing HB40, but Pat Brady, who had no legislative role in SSM had to go? Why? Rauner’s monetary ownership of the Caucuses.
Three legislators, three different angles all with arrows pointing to the money that allows Rauner to own them all, and expose the phoniness that now defines all three of them.
My problem?
My problem is I support Jim Durkin, all day. That means I’m on the side of Rauner. Yikes, man. But, I’m with Durkin over Proft until the end avc beyond, in any way.
So, it’s a mess… due to Rauner owning.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:47 am
All this from the man who made MILLIONS and established his political empire by holding hands and sidling up with his best-friend Bruce Rauner and Team Rauner? This political expert has given the good conservatives of IL some very bad political advice by standing with Rauner. So, do we really want to believe anything he says now, just because he says he is speaking ill of the man who made him a political and media power house in IL.
Comment by LoisLearned2much Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:48 am
Give a man a huge campaign contribution, he eats for an election cycle.
Teach him how to raise his own dough, and he can be Speaker for 30 years.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:53 am
I’m not sure Durkin and Brady could raise money now if they tried.
Why would the old donor network write fat checks to legislative leaders when Rauner/Griff are putting in millions at a time? If Rauner’s agenda lines up with that of the traditional GOP contributors, and it largely does, why waste the money? Let him pay for it.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:54 am
K Bruce, this makes you different than Madigan…please enlighten me…
Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 10:55 am
I bet a bunch of Republicans, lawmakers and otherwise, thought it would be neat to have a billionaire on their side, until they realized he didn’t really care about their side. But for the lawmakers, his money would become most important, and… here we are. Someday Rauner will be gone, his money, too, and what’ll be left of the Republican Party will hold it’s Lincoln Day luncheon in a corner booth at the local buffet. Enjoy, Durkin and Brady, these are the good old days!
Comment by Wading in... Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 11:00 am
==he could still use that money hammer to try to make himself a serious player even with the title “Former Governor”==
And he would too. If Rauner loses, those legislators on your list are going to have a problem regardless of how loyal they are from now on. They’ve already done enough to “earn it”, I suspect.
Comment by Timmeh Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 11:17 am
OW, with all due respect, you undercut your credibility when you remain so fervently loyal to Durkin. So many of us hark back to the days where a fiscal conservative recognized how fiscally wasteful and destructive a budget impasse is. We all know Durkin held Rauner’s coat as he made IL’s already tremendous deficit at least 3.5 billion dollars greater. Mickey Staub is not the answer but Durkin has got to go. The 12 million Rauner gave Durkin was followed days later by 5 million from Ken Griffin. These contributions amount to hush money paid for keeping Durkin’s mouth shut while IL’s social services and institutions were battered almost beyond repair. Durkin is culpable and must be held accountable for what he did to the state.
Comment by WS Mama Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 11:46 am
When someone does your work for you, you get fat and lazy. Better start excercising GOP.
Comment by Norseman Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 11:48 am
I feel like a broken record. All of this has changed because of one thing:
Citizens United
When will the Democrats fully embrace the notion of overturning maybe the worst case in US history?
Comment by 33rd Ward Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 11:52 am
===with all due respect===
…
===…you undercut your credibility when you remain so fervently loyal to Durkin===
The threat on the horizon now in the short term is Proft, tearing apart any chance that the GOP can hope to recover from Raunerism.
If you have but Raunerites or Proft puppets, the game will be truly over.
I have more than enough comments explaining why I support Durkin, there are plenty, and with all due respect, your comment seemingly ignores why I do feel that way.
“Example?”
===So many of us hark back to the days where a fiscal conservative recognized how fiscally wasteful and destructive a budget impasse is. We all know Durkin held Rauner’s coat as he made IL’s already tremendous deficit at least 3.5 billion dollars greater===
Yeah. I’ve been silent, even conplicit in not holding Durkin responsible. And not one time did I say the most important person under the Dome is Durkin if he’d take it upon himself to remove himself from Rauner and act in an autonomous way to actually help Rauner and Illinois.
Yep. Not once. Not one single time. Pass after pass after pass… I gave Durkin.
=== Mickey Staub is not the answer but Durkin has got to go. The 12 million Rauner gave Durkin was followed days later by 5 million from Ken Griffin. These contributions amount to hush money paid for keeping Durkin’s mouth shut while IL’s social services and institutions were battered almost beyond repair.===
Yep. I was silent. I said nothing about the owned caucuses or tried to embarrass the hypocrisy. I just ignored, never mocking or even angered commented how members were destroying Illinois.
I never thanked The Brave 15 and the Perfect 10.
Not one time. Never did I do that.
I was as much of a Raunerite as any of them. I held no one accountable, I complimented Durkin every chance I got for the obstruction.
In reality, I didn’t keep my word to myself that I’d never support the Blago of the GOP and those enabling that Blago.
===Durkin is culpable and must be held accountable for what he did to the state.===
And Dan Proft is the instrument of that justice?
Good thing I’ve supported Bruce Rauner this entire time, and me supporting Durkin…
… which I do without ANY reservation or hesitation…
… over Dan Proft….
Yep, I too am complicit. Because choosing Proft over Durkin makes a whole lotta sense as Proft goes after members for not supporting Rauner, as Proft himself turns on Rauner.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 12:02 pm
OW you are a champion of healthy conservative values (no snark) and clearly recognize and call out the flaws in IL’s GOP. I take issue with your statement: “My problem is I support Jim Durkin, all day.” Christine Radogno was abandoned by the GOP including Durkin as she sought support for the Grand Bargain. Had Durkin stood with Radogno, IL could have saved billions in fees and interest. Instead, Durkin bowed to the behest of his wealthy overseer. Proft and Staub are not the answer but Durkin does not deserve your support “all day.”
Comment by WS Mama Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 12:13 pm
=== (no snark)===
Yeah, ok….
===Christine Radogno was abandoned by the GOP including Durkin as she sought support for the Grand Bargain. Had Durkin stood with Radogno, IL could have saved billions in fees and interest. Instead, Durkin bowed to the behest of his wealthy overseer.===
“Wealthy overseer”… Hmm…
…
Yep, I was one of the ones that never fully “grasped” the challenges that Leader Radogno faced. Not once did I make a point that so many turned on her, starting with Rauner and Rauner using his money to do so.
I wasn’t one to stand up for Leader Radogno, I just didn’t comment about what was being done by undercutting her, I was plum silent, never really grasping wage was going on.
===Proft and Staub are not the answer but Durkin does not deserve your support “all day.”===
Those are the choices…
Proft or Durkin.
That’s the list.
I’m with Durkin over Proft.
All day. Every day. Twice on Sunday.
If the Caucuses wash out to Proft versus Rauner, any chance of the Republicans coming back in any fashion will be lost.
For another time…
It pains me to no end that I’m on a side with Rauner. You have no clue it appears how much.
Proft gutting the GOP while claiming its to get rid of those who didn’t support Rauner while Proft himself is attacking Rauner.
No.
I’m with Durkin.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 12:23 pm
IMHO, Turn on is a Illinois Republican in the vein of the Thompson era. This drive by Proft/Bannon types that the GOP should cut put the middle and only push extreme right positions is causing the greatest problem for the party of Lincoln. What Proft misses is that Durkin is not the parties problem, he is it’s future.
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 12:25 pm
Turn on is androids suggested correction for durkin…. not sure how it came up with that…..
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 12:33 pm
So, to be clear, we are all comfortable with the GOP’s future being a man whose principles and actions are driven by the sugar daddy who is paying his bills rather than what is best for his constituents? Hmmmm okay. Maybe if Durkin considered the needs and values of his constituents the Illinois Manufacturing Association might not have decreased their donations so significantly over the years. So many others are giving less maybe because their voices do not matter as much. Only the sweet whispers of Rauner and Griff resonate with Durkin. I assume it did not hurt that Durkin’s law firm benefited from the budget impasse so it is a win-win-win. Lovely, just lovely.
Comment by WS Mama Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 12:36 pm
Jim Durkin is no Lee Daniels.
Comment by anon2 Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 1:31 pm
===I assume it did not hurt that Durkin’s law firm benefited from the budget impasse so it is a win-win-win===
LOL
Yeah, you are pure of heart in your criticism and with all that “no snark” and “due respect”
Proft notes stuff like Durkin’s law firm.
You keep trying. K? K.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 1:35 pm
Well, it’s easier to take 1 mans money than to actually do something to earn donations. I mean anyone can rubberstamp the owners (Rauner) demands.
Comment by Generic Drone Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 1:38 pm
OW since you are so comfortable with Durkin working in A&L’s Municipal and Gov’t Practice Group, you must also be cool with MJM’s Law Firm’s property tax practice. Actually, last I heard MJM had a conflicts protocol while Durkin did not. How ’bout them apples? Yeah, keep clinging to your but Proft! argument. Death by drowning or burning?
Comment by WS Mama Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 1:45 pm
- WS Mama -,
LOL…
I thought it was about hurting social services and budgets…
Now it’s about Durkin, his law practice, and the Proft phoniness?
Pick a lane…
Righteous indignation or “Proft Tom-Foolery”
I get it, you don’t stand for anything but what Proft tells you.
It’s cool. I figured that out on your first comment.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 2:03 pm
**I feel like a broken record. All of this has changed because of one thing: Citizens United**
Actually, this is NOTHING to do with Citizens United. You could overturn Citizens United, and it wouldn’t change a thing about Rauner, Uhlein, Pritzker, Griffin money.
Citizens United simply prohibits restrictions on independent expenditures on businesses, unions, etc. It has nothing to do with self-funding candidates, IL’s caps (and how to break the caps), etc.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 3:16 pm
OW therein lies the problem. Too many lanes to choose. We all deserve better.
Comment by WS Mama Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 4:02 pm
(Sigh)
===therein lies the problem.===
No. It’s Proft or Durkin. That’s it.
You’re with Proft, first with a flat-out “righteous indignation” phoniness, then the “how do you like them apples” Proft propaganda.
Gone me a break. This was never about me, it was about trashing Durkin hoping I’d help. Nope.
===Too many lanes to choose.===
Nope. Proft or Durkin. If that’s too hard for you, whew. You’re with Proft. The law firm schtick was the giveaway, so just stop.
===We all===
You speak for you. Again. I’m with Durkin, you’re with Proft, now you want to co-op me with your “we all”… nope.
===deserve better.===
Then Proft? Yep.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 26, 17 @ 4:27 pm