Lauzen has slight edge over Burns in large contributions

The final week of a campaign is normally reserved for the last-minute bombshells and advertising blitzes that candidates hope sway voters who still remain undecided. But the campaigns of all four candidates in the Kane County Board chairman’s race said they see a quiet week with no new surprises leading up to the March 20 vote.

Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns and State Sen. Chris Lauzen have engaged in the more tenacious battle then their Democratic counterparts, Sue Klinkhamer and Bill Sarto. And their fundraising has matched the higher profile of their race.

Lauzen has been on pace to spend more on the race than Burns takes in, and appears to be having more success in raking in big contributions in the final weeks of the race. Lauzen received $15,500 in contributions of at least $1,000 in the final month of the campaign. That compares to $10,900 in contributions of at least $1,000 each in the final weeks for Burns.

Bill Page, a spokesman for Burns’ campaign, said the economy and fits and starts in the campaign resulted in fundraising that, ideally, would’ve raked in a few more dollars.

“In this economy, fundraising has been a challenge for everyone,” Page said. “We did OK, not anywhere near where you’d want. But, overall, we’re very pleased about the support we’ve had from all sectors in Kane County.”

Both Lauzen and Burns will be in a better position financially heading into the November election than either of their potential Democratic rivals.

Former St. Charles Mayor Sue Klinkhamer created her campaign fund with $35. The total hasn’t move since then, nor will it in the final week of the campaign.

“I really have not done any major campaigning just like I said I wouldn’t do,” Klinkhamer said. “Watching what’s happened in the race on the Republican side, I feel like that instinct was right. It’s been really kind of nauseating to watch. It’s been a shining example of why good people don’t want to run for office.”

Sarto has self-funded his campaign with $5,000 of his own money. The only major contribution he’s received besides that was $1,000 from the Citizens for Noland campaign. Sarto said Klinkhamer’s anti-campaign has limited both his ability to run an aggressive race and raise money in advance for November if he moves on to the general election. Sarto said most fellow Democrats are remaining neutral with their endorsements and their wallets until after March 20.

“This race has been like shadowboxing with a stranger,” Sarto said. “It’s frustrating to be campaigning against someone who feels no need to do the things that candidates generally do. Because I have an opponent, everybody has a good excuse to sit on the sidelines and wait to see what will happen. I’ve spent a lot of my own money on this race. I’d prefer to be spending someone else’s at this point.”