|
 An examination
of three close races for the state Legislature shows
that while the polls may be close or even trending for the GOP, the
Democrats are raising more and spending more.
But money-watchers at the Capitol say there is more to each race
than just the race for dollars. And, as always, the candidate who
spends the most money will not necessarily be the winning candidate.
But Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political
Reform, said it's difficult to win without spending.
"Money isn't everything," Canary said. "But without money it is
almost impossible to get your message out to voters, to make sure
your name is lodged in their brain and they know the kinds of things
you stand for."
Democrats in two targeted races for the Illinois Senate and one
targeted race for the Illinois House have, according to the most
up-to-date records, outspent their Republican opponents by a wide
margin.
In the 71st House District in the Quad Cities, Democrat Dennis Ahern
has so far spent more than $58,000 to replace the retiring state
Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline. Republican Rich Morthland has spent
about $26,000 to do the same. The candidates' first 2010 report to
the State Board of Elections showed that Morthland had over $25,000
on hand at the end of June while Ahern had just over $5,000. Neither
candidate has released any spending reports since the end of June.
In the 49th Senate District, state Sen. Deanna Demuzio,
D-Carlinville, has spent nearly $77,000 to hold on to her seat.
Republican challenger Sam McCann has spent just less than $54,000 to
try to take her spot in Springfield. The two had similar cash
reserves at the end of June. Demuzio reported $73,932 on June 30,
and McCann reported he had $79,513 on hand. They have also been
silent about spending since then.
In the 40th Senate District, incumbent state Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson,
D-Olympia Fields, has spent over $100,000 to keep what many
politicos say is a vulnerable seat. Hutchinson spent $30,095 between
July 2009 and the end of that year, and another $72,389 between
January and the end of June this year. Her Republican challenger,
Adam Baumgartner, has spent just over $46,000. But Hutchinson has
another six figures to spend. Her latest report to the State Board
of Elections showed she had $107,521 on hand. Baumgartner had just
over $3,100. Both have aired TV commercials since that report and
have been silent about their spending amounts.
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University of Illinois at Springfield political science professor
Chris Mooney said no one should be surprised by the cost, or the
races. He said open seats, like the Quad Cities race, and close
races like the other two always attract attention and money.
"The parties focus their money. ... They're rational just like the
donors are rational," he said. "Are they going to waste their
money?"
He said the Hutchinson and Demuzio races are even more important to
that strategy this year.
"Hutchinson (is) a Democrat in a fairly swing district. There's a
lot of exurban and rural areas," Mooney said. "And Demuzio --
there's a lot of Democrats down there, more than you'd expect in
most downstate districts. But it's still downstate and very
conservative in a lot of places in that district."
Other races, particularly in the Chicago suburbs, are just as heated
and even more expensive. Canary said some of the cost of these races
is just the cost of buying ads in the state's varied media markets.
But she said voters should always look online and ask where all that
money is coming from.
"Money is very telling," Canary said. "One of the things that you
can find out is, who are the most significant donors to your
candidate? Do they represent specific industries or interests, and
how do you feel about those industries and interests?"
Both Canary and Mooney say money is not inherently evil, but it is
something that voters need to keep an eye on.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT and JENNIFER WESSNER]
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