Oberweis leads money count in Senate 25 primaries
State Senate District 25 Republican primary candidate Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove continues to lead all other candidates in raising money for his campaign.
According to fourth quarter 2011 candidate disclosure statements filed with the state, Oberweis received $82,505 from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. More than $80,000 was in itemized contributions of $200 or more.
The biggest contribution — $10,000 — came from the Pepper Cos. general contracting firm of Chicago. Two people affiliated with the company, Richard and Roxelyn Pepper of Barrington, also gave $5,000 apiece to the campaign.
The Friends of Jim Oberweis Committee spent $32,176 during the same period, mostly on consultants, website services and credit card processing fees. It did spend $405.11 on rent for its office at Oberweis Dairy in North Aurora, and $600 on candy.
At the end of the reporting period, the committee had $78,716 in its account.
Opponent Dave Richmond of Blackberry Township had $3,280 left in the Friends of Dave Richmond purse at the end of the period.
The committee raised $9,365 in cash and $500 in in-kind contributions, and spent $13,355. Unlike Oberweis, the committee owes $27,071 in loans, to be repaid to Richmond and his wife. The loans were made during a previous campaign for a state House seat.
The largest of the $7,700 itemized contributions came from the Illinois Liberty Political Action Committee, which gave $5,000. He also received $500 worth of consulting from Illinois Liberty.
Richmond received $250 from Ethan and Heidi Hastert of Elburn. Richmond worked for Ethan's father, former U.S. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.
The third person seeking the Republican nomination, Richard Slocum of Sugar Grove, had $15,706.47 in the kitty at the end of the reporting period.
During the quarter, Slocum for Senate raised $17,854. It spent $5,119.
The largest cash contribution, $2,500, was from Alan Raboine, who is a corporate officer with RECO of Illinois Inc., which is in Aurora.
Slocum gave himself $1,033 in-kind services of lodging, office supplies, postage and printing. The campaign committee's largest expense was $1,531 on food for a fundraiser.
In the Democratic primary, there is less money so far.
According to his quarterly report, Steven L. Hunter of Geneva has received nothing, borrowed nothing and spent nothing.
His opponent, Corinne Pierog of St. Charles, lists $575 in cash contributions and $1,250 in in-kind contributions. She has spent nothing. The Painters District Council 30 of Aurora gave her $500. Robert Krawczyk has given her $1,250 worth of website design and maintenance.