Two Legislative Races Pass the Million Mark

November 5, 2000

Cindi Canary, ICPR
312-335-1767
Kent Redfield, Sunshine Project
217-206-6574

Two Legislative Races Pass the Million Mark

Money from Legislative Leaders is the Key

Chicago, IL. --- As of noon Sunday November 5, 2000, the two costliest races were in the 27th Illinois Senate district in suburban Cook County and the 118th Illinois House District in Southern Illinois. However, only four of the 22 State Senate races and 12 of the 118 State Representative races will actually be truly competitive next Tuesday, in terms of the money raised by the candidates according to figures released today by the Sunshine Project and the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.

The 27th District Illinois State Senate race between Republican incumbent Wendall Jones and Democratic challenger Sue Walton was at $1.12 million. The 118th District House race between Democratic challenger Eric Gregg and Republican incumbent Jim Fowler was at $1.06 million.

In order to compete in the current system of legislative elections in Illinois, candidates taking on incumbents or running for open seats in politically competitive districts have to raise tremendous amount of money. As a rule, this only happens in races that are targeted for substantial funding by the legislative leaders. In 1998, the average costs of running a competitive campaign against an incumbent were $250,000 per candidate in a targeted House race and $350,000 per candidate in a targeted Senate race.

"To understand why power in the state legislature has become so concentrated in the hands of the legislative leaders, you don’t have to look any further than the way legislative elections are funded," said Cindi Canary, Director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. "The legislative leaders power in elections increases their power in Springfield and their power in Springfield allows them to raise even more money, which increases their power in elections."

This year, 12 of the 22 State Senate elections (54%) have only one candidate or a sure winner challenged by an opponent who has raised less than $2,000. In six other Senate races (24%), the sure winner faces an opponent who will raise between $10,000 and 100,000. These amounts fall far short of the $350,000 is takes to be competitive in the typical targeted state senate race where the legislative leaders are providing the funding for one or both candidates. In only four races (23%) will both candidates be financially competitive.

Seventy-seven of the 118 State House elections (66%) have one candidate or a sure winner challenged by an opponent who has raised less than $2,000. In 29 other State Representative elections (22%), the almost-certain winner faces an opponent who will raise between $10,000 and $100,000. These amounts fall far short of the $250,000 is takes to be competitive in the typical targeted state Representative race where the legislative leaders are providing the funding for one or both candidates. In only 12 races (23%) will both candidates be financially competitive.

"The only sure source for the kind of money you need in a targeted race is from one of the legislative leaders," said Kent Redfield, Director of the Sunshine Project. "In 1998 the legislative leaders provided two-thirds of the funding for targeted legislative races. In the most expensive races, the leader’s share topped 80%."

The most expensive Senate race in 1998 (58th District) cost $1.34 million, the most expensive House race (106th) cost $850,000.