Despite the best fundraising efforts of Democrats, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Mark Kirk raised nearly twice as much money in the first quarter of 2010 than his rival, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.
Giannoulias raised $1.2 million, according to his campaign, while Kirk, a North Shore congressman, raised $2.2 million. The men are fighting to take over Barack Obama's old seat.
Giannoulias' take marked the Democrats' best fundraising quarter to date. But Kirk's success marks another challenge for the Giannoulias campaign, which is working to improve Giannoulias' image amid disclosures his family' bank may fail. Read more...
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias criticized Republican opponent Mark Kirk today, poking fun at Kirk's attempt to highlight problems at Giannoulias' family's bank as part of a one-trick campaign.
"He has campaigned on one thing and one thing only: Broadway Bank," Giannoulias said this afternoon. "Just about every sentence ... is a noun, a verb, and 'Broadway Bank.'"
Kirk's campaign spokesman, Eric Elk, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. His campaign released a new video today about the state treasurer's attempt to "downplay" problems at the bank. Read more...
Illinois General Assembly quickly passes pension reforms
State legislators swiftly approved a bill that would raise the retirement age for future government employees and force them to wait longer to collect on their pensions.
The bill, passed last night in the Senate after it sailed throught the House, would not affect anyone who is currently in the retirement system. Read more...
What do President Barack Obama and Argentine politician Francisco de Narváez have in common?
They were both helped to victory by AKPD Message and Media.
AKPD, which tops the Chicago Current’s ranking of Illinois campaign consultants, is in an enviable position. Read more...
Let the ad wars begin.
In my article this morning about Comcast cable guy Richard Brehm, I highlighted a growing trend toward cable in political advertising.
Apparently, it's a trend that Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk hasn't ignored. Read more...
