Lake County’s Republican and Democratic members of the Illinois General Assembly collected an estimated $250,000 in campaign donations during the first six months of 1999 despite the fact it’s not even an election year, reports filed recently with the Illinois State Board of Elections showed.
But the politicians agree they’ll likely have to raise a lot more money before next year’s March primary and November general election in order to wage credible re-election campaigns, especially in areas that are being viewed as major political battlegrounds.
“I’ve already raised $64,000, but I’m going to have to raise about 10 times that amount by next November,” said freshman Sen. Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills), who is one of the top GOP targets for defeat in the traditionally Republican far northern suburbs.
Another target, freshman Rep. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest), said if the past is any barometer, she easily could be forced to match the estimated $200,000 she spent to win election to the 59th District House seat two years ago.
Like Link, Garrett will have to work hard to raise the money in the Lake Michigan shoreline district, which runs from Lake Forest to Waukegan and historically elects Republican leaders.
But unlike Link, Garrett hasn’t been doing any fundraising so far this year. As of June 30, the financial reports showed Garrett still hadn’t been paid back for a $20,000 loan she and her husband, Scott, made to her 1998 campaign against a much better-funded GOP candidate. Also, Garrett has only $3,544 in her campaign kitty, most of which was donated this year.
Garrett said last week she’s not overly concerned about being able to raise enough money for the 2000 race even though she’s pledged not to solicit donations from special-interest groups, including Illinois Democratic Party funds controlled by House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago).
“It’s a personal pledge I’ve made to myself and my staff, that I will do whatever I can to raise money locally so I can continue to be independent,” said Garrett, whom local Republicans have tried to portray as being a Madigan puppet.
Aware that it takes lots of money to run a race, however, Garrett said she won’t refuse special-interest money if it shows up in her campaign fund.
“If some of these organizations would like to make contributions to my campaign, I will not turn it away,” she said. “But by me not asking for it, it still gives me the independence that’s important to me.”
Meanwhile, four-term Rep. Lauren Beth Gash (D-Highland Park), another lakefront lawmaker who had comparatively minimal GOP opposition last year after winning several high-stakes races, attracted $27,665 in donations, including $5,000 from Madigan, during the past six months.
Gash spent the bulk of her money on campaign-related expenses, leaving her with just $7,417 in her campaign coffers as of June 30, the report showed.
A proven vote-getter who’s also a strong fundraiser, Gash also said she’s not worried about being able to raise more money for next year regardless of whether her 60th District seat is a GOP target.
“I may not be as defeatable as they (the GOP) once thought,” Gash said. “I work really hard in my district and vote carefully, based on what is in the district’s best interest.”
Lake County’s three Democratic lawmakers aren’t the only ones stockpiling for 2000.
Some Republicans could face GOP primaries due to their votes in favor of Gov. George Ryan’s Illinois FIRST road and infrastructure improvement program. Earlier this year, state lawmakers approved fee increases for license plates and raised taxes on beer, alcohol and wine to pay for the program.
GOP conservatives already are considering making a run against four-term Rep. Andrea Moore (R-Libertyville), who has an impressive war chest should she face a GOP primary opponent. Moore got $20,900 in campaign donations during the first half of 1999. Even though she spent most of it by June 30, she still has an impressive $38,597 in her campaign fund, the report showed.
Two other House Republicans–Timothy Osmond of Antioch and Sidney Mathias of Buffalo Grove–also could be vulnerable if only because they’re freshmen. Osmond collected nearly $16,000 in donations during the past six months, but he spent $14,000, leaving him with about $5,000 in his campaign kitty. Mathias received $9,300 and spent $3,250, leaving him with about $10,000, the reports showed.
Another freshman, Rep. Elizabeth Coulson (R-Glenview), whose district covers a small portion of southern Lake County, collected about $24,000 and spent $5,200, leaving her with nearly $50,000.
Two-term Rep. Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills), meanwhile, lent his campaign fund nearly $13,000, which was just about the same amount he spent during the past six months, leaving him with about $3,000 in the bank.
Ironically, the Lake County politician with the most money doesn’t have another election for four years. But Sen. William Peterson (R-Long Grove) said the $156,290 in his campaign fund could be considered peanuts next to what he may have to spend after next year’s redrawing of legislative district boundaries.
“I want to get a bigger war chest so that if the district boundaries are redrawn and I have a tough primary, I’ll be ready,” he said. “Primaries can cost $300,000 to $400,000 and even more for a general election in a targeted district.”
Lake County’s two other senators, Adeline Geo-Karis (R-Zion), who got $950 in donations during the past six months, and Kathleen Parker (R-Northbrook), who got $51,000, each had more than $30,000 left in their campaign coffers as of June 30, the reports showed.
