Bean's at top of fundraising list
U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean's campaign fundraising efforts have once again dwarfed those of her political challengers, federal documents released Tuesday show.
The Barrington Democrat's campaign committee raised an estimated $352,246 between Jan. 17 and March 31, according to the new Federal Election Commission disclosure records.
Since the campaign cycle began more than a year ago, Bean has collected nearly $2.3 million, records show.
With the November general election less than seven months away, neither of the candidates seeking to unseat Bean in the 8th House district -- Republican Steve Greenberg or the Green Party's Iain Abernathy -- has a war chest close to that size.
Greenberg raised $93,660 during the last period, FEC reports show. He's pulled in $443,905 during the entire campaign cycle -- less than 20 percent of Bean's total -- and his spending so far left him with roughly $5,000 at the end of March.
Abernathy, a Round Lake Beach resident who only recently announced his candidacy, did not file a disclosure form. He said he did not raise or spend the $5,000 that requires such paperwork.
A Bean spokesman said Bean is grateful for the broad support she's received.
Greenberg isn't worried about the financial chasm separating him from Bean. He said he'll have money for ads and campaign fliers when he needs it, and that time isn't now.
"The only deadline that matters to me is Election Day," he said.
The 8th District includes parts of Lake, Cook and McHenry counties.
Bean, who was first elected in 2004, is seeking a third two-year term in Congress. Her benefactors last period included:
• Exelon Corp. chairman and president John W. Rowe, who donated $2,300.
• Lake Bluff attorney David J. Pritchard, who gave $1,000.
• A political action committee representing Abbott Laboratories' employees, which gave $1,000.
• Allstate Insurance Agency's political committee, which gave $4,000.
Dozens of political action committees gave thousands of dollars to Bean's campaign last period, records show.
After spending more than $269,000 during the last period, Bean's campaign ended March with nearly $1.4 million in the bank.
Greenberg is a Long Grove businessman and former minor-league hockey player. He received support from some notable donors last quarter, including:
• Chicago Wolves owner Donald R. Levin, who gave $2,300.
• Former Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood, who donated $1,000.
• Chicago Board of Exchange executive vice chairman Edward T. Tilly, who gave $2,800.
• Walgreens CEO/chairman Jeffrey Rein, who gave $1,000.
Additionally, regular Greenberg backer Peter H. Huizenga, co-founder of Blockbuster Entertainment and Waste Management, donated $2,300 to the campaign.
The three-way GOP primary for the 8th District seat significantly ate into Greenberg's cash. He spent nearly $170,000 during the last period, which included the Feb. 5 primary, and has exhausted more than $517,000 so far, reports show.
Greenberg's campaign finished the period with about $5,036 in the bank.
Despite that relatively low sum, Greenberg said he's "very confident" he'll have enough money to run a competitive campaign. He said he has several fundraisers planned for the next few months.
"We'll have the resources to get our message out and defeat Melissa Bean in the end," Greenberg said.