Which suburban candidates have more campaign money than Trump?
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has raised just over $115,000 in Illinois for this election, according to the latest federal calculations. For presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in her native state, it's been $7.1 million.
That's the local take on the recent presidential fundraising numbers that showed Trump with just $1.3 million in the bank compared to Clinton's $42 million.
Trump has argued his campaign is a frugal one, and, indeed, he overcame all his primary opponents for a comfortable victory in Illinois even though the others raised far more.
Other candidates with more
There's no question $1.3 million is a lot of money, but you don't have to look far for perspective.
These local representatives and candidates had more in the bank than Trump the last time they reported:
• Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth: $4 million
• Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk: $3.3 million
• Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster: $2.3 million
• Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Dold: $1.9 million
Dold's opponent, Brad Schneider, had a little less than $600,000, but he raised $818,000 in the first quarter of the year.
On the air
Kirk hit the TV airwaves today with an ad that highlights his recovery from his 2012 stroke, meeting with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, tough talk on Trump and support of abortion rights.
“After facing death, Kirk returned even more committed to serving Illinois,” the spot says.
Duckworth, who's challenging Kirk, got attention for the House floor sit-in for a gun control vote.
Spokesman Ben Garmisa confirms the report Duckworth hid her cellphone inside one of her prosthetic legs to ensure it wouldn't be taken during the rare, raucous demonstration that was largely broadcast via a live feed from a congressman's phone.
Duckworth's campaign responded to Kirk's ad, with spokesman Matt McGrath saying Kirk is “portraying himself as a liberal Democrat in Chicago while apparently hoping no one else across the state notices.”
Still going ...
Republican members of the Illinois Senate, led by state Sen. Jason Barickman of Bloomington, visited the Daily Herald editorial board this week to promote their ongoing effort to change the way the state pays for schools.
Because those schools are largely funded by property taxes, we asked how ongoing discussions about Gov. Bruce Rauner's property tax freeze idea are going.
“The progress is slow going, I would say,” state Sen. Karen McConnaughay of St. Charles said. “It goes well when all four leaders are committed to the project and willing to put something on the table. The process get slowed down when people stall.”
That's a reference to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who canceled the House's meeting this week.
Mayoral worries
Last week, we quoted a couple suburban mayors worried their cities will be cut off from some state money — again — if there's no state budget by July 1.
This week, several more joined an op-ed touted by Rauner's office that backs Rauner's stopgap budget plan.
Among them: Steve Chirico of Naperville, Frank Bart of Wauconda, Dale Berman of North Aurora, Elizabeth Brandt of Lincolnshire, Kevin Burns of Geneva, Rich Hill of Round Lake Beach, Joseph Mancino of Hawthorn Woods, Dominic Marturano of Lindenhurst, Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills, Steve Morely of Elmhurst, Ruben Pineda of West Chicago and Ray Rogina of St. Charles.