State's Democrats busy raising money for U.S. Senate race

Thursday, April 17, 2003
By Dennis Conrad
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Illinois Democrats who want to become their party's nominee in 2004 for a suddenly open U.S. Senate seat raised $2.7 million in the first three months of this year, their latest campaign reports show.
Wealthy Chicago businessman Blair Hull led the pack, collecting $1.08 million for the quarter ended March 31, but all but $9,699 came out of his own pocket. He has said he is prepared to spend tens of millions of dollars of his own money on the race.
Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes took in about $897,000 in only six weeks of fund raising following his mid-February formation of a campaign exploratory committee. The cash largely flowed into a March fund-raiser for the Chicagoan that was hosted by Cook County Board President John Stroger and Cook County Commissioner John Daley.Gery Chico, a Chicago attorney who is a former Chicago school board president and former chief of staff for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, raised about $763,000.Chicago state Sen. Barack Obama brought in about $231,000.Chicago health-care administrator Joyce Washington, who announced her candidacy in February, reported raising about $175,000, spokesman Ken Morley said.The reports were due with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday, the same day Illinois Sen. Peter Fitzgerald stunned fellow Republicans by announcing that he would not seek a second six-year term. Fitzgerald had been the only Republican raising money for the Senate race, but that is expected to change quickly with his decision.Fitzgerald's report showed he raised about $365,000 in contributions during the quarter. He ended the month with about $981,000 in cash on hand in his campaign fund after quarterly expenses of about $91,000.Fitzgerald spent $16 million — most of it his own money — in 1998 to win a tough GOP primary and then beat incumbent Democrat Carol Moseley Braun. He had been expected to spend much of his own money again for a second term. But he said he was unwilling to spend the time away from his family and Senate duties that campaigning would require.Among the Democrats lining up to become his successor, Chico reported the most cash on hand March 31, with about $1.22 million, followed by Hynes with about $801,000. Obama came in with about $356,000; Hull with about $237,000 and Washington $169,000.Hull was the busiest in the year's first quarter in terms of spending, pouring nearly $900,000 into the effort. Chico had about $287,000 in expenses. Obama trailed with about $101,000, Hynes had about $95,000 and Washington had about $6,000.Chico, Hull and Obama began fund-raising last year, so they have had much more time to accumulate money for the March 2004 primary. Altogether, Hull has raised about $1.38 million — virtually all his own money — and lent himself $625,000, for a total topping $2 million. Chico has raised $1.77 million and Obama about $522,000.Other candidates who have said they are running — Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Metamora Mayor Matt O'Shea — were not required to file reports yet.© 2003 Associated Press