Walsh criticizes Duckworth’s apparent fundraising record

With $889,050 raised during the second quarter, 8th Congressional District Democratic candidate Tammy Duckworth said she has broken a fundraising record for House challengers from either party.

Her opponent, Republican Congressman Joe Walsh, who raised $318,158, is cutting at where Duckworth’s money is coming from.

“I will give my opponent Ms. Duckworth credit, she is the darling of the liberal elite, and they will gladly open their pocketbooks for her,” Walsh said in a statement.

Duckworth, of Hoffman Estates, said in a report to the Federal Election Commission that the three months ending June 30 was her strongest fundraising quarter yet.

Her campaign said this is believed to be the highest quarter for any House challenger from either party, a statement the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee agreed with Monday.

Donations from individuals made up $680,282 of the total, with political action committees adding $208,550. Among them were pro-Israel J Street PAC contributing $47,733 and abortion rights organization Emily’s List Federal Fund giving $27,816.

Duckworth had $788,363 in her war chest at the close of the reporting period.

Walsh, of McHenry, received $256,621 from individual donors in the three months ending June 30, and $56,500 from political action committees, including $5,000 from the National Republican Congressional Committee, $5,000 from the Jobs, Economy and Budget Fund and $5,000 from Republican budgeteer Paul Ryan’s Prosperity PAC.

He has $722,825 in cash on hand.

Walsh drew parallels to Duckworth’s expensive, nationally watched 2006 house race against Congressman Peter Roskam of Wheaton, where she posted similar early fundraising numbers but lost by two percentage points.

“As we learned in 2006 when she raised over $4 million, Ms. Duckworth cannot hide from voters and buy this election,” Walsh said.

Walsh, according to the filings, has spent close to $20,000 on “fundraising consulting,” $2,518 on telemarketing and $7,500 on an RV trailer.

Duckworth spent $9,500 on yard signs, $35,223 on direct mail and $29,235 on a cable TV ad buy, all in mid-May.

The 8th Congressional District, roughly centered in Schaumburg, stretches from Elgin to Addison and includes portions of Cook, DuPage and Kane counties.