UPDATE: Current fundraising totals from Illinois Democratic and GOP gubernatorial candidates
SPRINGFIELD (Heartland Newsfeed) — On Friday, Eric Kirchberg reported campaign funds, as reported by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform regarding regional races, including the gubernatorial race. However, more information has come to light regarding campaign funds for six Democratic candidates and three Republican candidates running in the March 20 primary.
Governor Bruce Rauner (R-Winnetka), the incumbent seeking a second term, currently has $72 million in campaign funds, which includes a $50 million contribution he made to his re-election fund last December.
State Representative Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton), who recently announced her campaign for the gubernatorial primary, has $31,723.87 in her state representative re-election fund that she can use.
Political pundit and radio host William J. Kelly (R-Chicago), while running a campaign, does not have a campaign committee established with the Illinois State Board of Elections, nor have reported any contributions.
Billionaire J.B. Pritzker (D-Chicago) leads his other four Democratic primary challengers, currently with all campaign contributions thus far being self-funded by Pritzker himself, with $28.2 million cash on hand.
State senator Daniel Biss (D-Evanston), has recently called out Pritzker’s campaign by asking, “Are we going to have an election or an auction?” Currently, Biss has $3.5 million cash on hand.
Christopher Kennedy (D-Chicago) has been raising funds and has been creeping closer to Senator Biss. The chairman of Joseph P. Kennedy Enterprises, Inc. and former member of the University of Illinois Board of Directors has $2.8 million available in campaign funds.
Madison County regional superintendent of schools Robert “Bob” Daiber (D-Marine) has been slightly active in campaigning, but currently has $79,397.71 cash on hand as of Thursday.
Tio Hardiman has raised the second-lowest total as of the end of the third fundraising quarter. Hardiman, a former director of CeaseFire Illinois and runner-up of the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial primary, currently has $5,445 cash on hand.
Small business owner Alex Paterakis (D-Vernon Hills) currently has $5,000 cash on hand. Paterakis’ campaign has come under recent scrutiny with rumors being made that he had dropped out of the race because the campaign website was inactive. Paterakis denied those allegations.
Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.
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