November 21, 2024
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Schakowsky’s fundraising towers over GOP challenger Rice’s

By Russell Lissau - Daily Herald Media Group
Election 2024
Max Rice, left, and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky are candidates for the 9th Congressional District seat in the 2022 general election.

Max Rice, left, and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky are candidates for the 9th Congressional District seat in the 2022 general election. (Via Daily Herald)

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s campaign fundraising total from the last three months is a fraction of what some other members of the Illinois delegation raked in -- but it still towers over what her Republican opponent in the 9th District collected.

Schakowsky, of Evanston, collected $166,898 during the year’s third quarter, records show -- far from the million-dollar hauls that U.S. Reps. Sean Casten of Downers Grove or Lauren Underwood of Naperville reported for their respective races in the 6th and 14th Districts.

But Schakowsky’s challenger, Chicagoan Max Rice, raised less than $9,900 during the period -- a sum too small for him to afford costly TV ads, polling or other tools needed to be competitive in a Chicago-area congressional race.

Congressional candidates must file financial reports with the Federal Election Commission once they collect or spend at least $5,000.

The latest reports, detailing activity between July 1 and Sept. 30, were due last weekend. They’re viewable at fec.gov.

The Schakowsky for Congress committee started July with $884,856 saved. It subsequently received $84,695 in donations from individuals and $71,500 from political action committees representing special interests, including:

  • $5,000 from Home Depot.
  • $5,000 from the American Federation of Teachers.
  • $2,500 from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
  • $500 from Verizon Communications.

It got nothing from Democratic Party organizations.

Schakowsky’s campaign spent $124,235 on staff salaries, rent, printing and other operating expenses during the quarter. It also gave cash to several Democratic groups and candidates, including $6,921 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, $2,000 to the Illinois Democratic Party and $2,500 to Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim’s campaign.

The campaign finished September debt-free and with $910,992 in the bank.

Rice’s report for the third quarter was his first of the campaign. He didn’t start fundraising until this quarter, documents indicate.

The Check Rice for Congress committee reported receiving $9,896 in donations from individuals. He got no money from political action committees, nor any help from Republican Party organizations.

The committee reported spending $5,840 on a consultant, a website and other expenses. It had no debts and finished the quarter with $4,056 saved.

This is Rice’s second congressional campaign. He lost the GOP primary for the 9th District seat in 2018 when he lived in Northbrook.

Schakowsky has served in Congress since 1999.

Redrawn and expanded ahead of this election, the 9th District includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties. It stretches between Chicago’s North Side and the Crystal Lake area.

Election Day is Nov. 8. Early voting has begun.

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20221020/schakowskys-fundraising-towers-over-gop-challenger-rices