From the Chicago Sun-Times

Ads up: Hull campaign funding nears $24 million
February 19, 2004
BY SCOTT FORNEK Political Reporter
Get ready to see and hear even more of Democrat M. Blair Hull on TV --
perhaps as much as $201,785 a day worth.
The millionaire investor pumped another $5.2 million of his own money into
his Democratic Senate bid this week, bringing his total since entering the
race to nearly $24 million.
The first-time political candidate reached into his wallet for $11.3 million
of that cash over the last six weeks alone, setting the stage for a
saturation-level media campaign in the final four weeks before the March 16
primary.
"It is shocking, literally shocking," said Democratic rival Gery Chico, a
former Chicago School Board president. "Jesus, what's going on here? A
United States Senate seat should not be a commodity any multimillionaire can
wake up one day and go purchase. It is a serious position that should be
earned.
"This seat is not for sale. It is obscene."
Chico and Hull are among seven Democrats vying to replace outgoing
Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald spent $12 million of his own
money on the 1998 primary and general elections together, roughly half the
$23,948,069 Hull has already pumped into his primary race alone.
"We are not buying the seat," said Hull spokesman Jason Erkes. "There is a
tremendous amount of substance behind the campaign.... We're right where we
want to be. We're on budget. We're on target.
"Some of the polls show us ahead. It's an exciting time. I guess when you
can't attack someone on their issues, you have to attack them on how they
are communicating their issues."
Hull was leading with 29 percent in a CBS 2/Newsradio 780 poll released a
week ago. State Comptroller Dan Hynes and state Sen. Barack Obama each had
19 percent, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas had 14 percent, Chico had 9
percent, and radio personality Nancy Skinner and health care consultant
Joyce Washington each had 3 percent.
"All commercials do is get the voters' attention," Erkes said. "They still
have to believe what is behind it, to go in and punch the vote."
The $11,350,000 Hull transferred into his campaign kitty in the last six
weeks will certainly help him garner some attention. If he earmarks even
half of that for TV advertising, Hull could buy a staggering $1.4 million
worth of air time a week in the crucial 26 days leading up to the primary.
Major candidates typically spend $550,000 a week to air TV commercials
statewide. Hull's coffers will allow him to spend at least $201,785 a day.
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