Bean, Beveridge lead 8th Dist. fundraising

The Republican race for the suburban 8th Congressional District seat is a crowded, six-way affair, but two candidates are leading the way when it comes to fundraising.

Dirk Beveridge, a Barrington business owner and community group leader, raised nearly $146,000 through Jan. 13, newly filed reports indicate. He also loaned his campaign about $32,688.

Fellow candidate Maria Rodriguez, the two-term village president of Long Grove, totaled about $106,000 in donations through the same period, her Federal Election Commission disclosure report shows.

Of the four other GOP candidates in the race, only two, Joe Walsh and Chris Geissler, had filed FEC reports by Friday afternoon. Walsh reported collecting $86,403 by Jan. 13; Geissler reported $24,507.

Candidate John Dawson of Barrington said he plans to file a disclosure report by Monday. Candidate Greg Jacobs of Mundelein said he did not file a report because he did not meet a $5,000 threshold.

The Republicans' fundraising gains are dwarfed by the effort of the incumbent, Democratic Rep. Melissa Bean.

Bean collected nearly $212,000 between Oct. 1 and Jan. 13 and reported more than $1 million in donations for the entire election cycle so far, documents show. A Bean spokesman refused to comment.

Also on the Feb. 2 primary ballot is Green Party candidate Bill Scheurer, who did not file a disclosure report.

Beveridge collected $145,952 between Sept. 1 and Jan. 13, his report showed. Much of Beveridge's financial support came from Barrington-area residents.

"All along, I've been the candidate of hardworking Americans who want to restore the economy, the American dream," Beveridge said. "These are my donors - people who want to get back to work and restore our freedoms."

Beveridge ended the period with about $77,000 saved.

"We need to continue our upward trajectory, continue to get our message out to as many voters as possible, and continue to unite all those looking for the right change - Republicans, independents and even Democrats looking for an alternative," Beveridge said.

Rodriguez collected nearly $84,000 in campaign donations between Oct. 1 and Jan. 13. Notable backers included: the campaigns of state Rep. Ed Sullivan; state Rep. JoAnn Osmond; and former congressional candidate Kathleen Salvi.

"I'm humbled and strengthened by (their support)," Rodriguez said. "These people have stood by me and stood up to endorse me. They know that I can get the job done."

Rodriguez, who loaned her campaign $100, ended the period with about $33,000 saved.

Walsh, a Winnetka resident who works in private equity funding, reported collecting $86,403 between Sept. 1 and Jan. 13. That sum includes $14,500 he loaned to the campaign.

He said he was disappointed in the total and said he had anticipated raising more cash for the campaign.

"A lot of the big money is waiting to see who comes out of this match," said Walsh, who also ran for Congress in 1996.

Walsh's donations came from individuals living throughout the Chicago area, records show. Among them were two donations from Republican activist Jack Roeser and his wife, Jeannine, totaling $4,800.

Roeser gained notoriety last year after stating on a radio show that Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park is gay. Kirk, running for U.S. Senate in the GOP primary, denied Roeser's claim.

Walsh said he respects Roeser as a conservative leader and wouldn't comment on Roeser's role in the controversy.

Walsh ended the period with $6,768 in the bank.

Geissler, a Barrington resident and a manager with a consulting firm, reported collecting only $3,516 between Oct. 1 and Jan. 13. Donations came from the suburbs and out of state.

Including a $30,000 loan from himself, Geissler ended the period with about $39,000 banked.

He isn't worried about the financial disparity between his campaign and the other candidates'.

"We still have plenty of cash to do the things we have to do at the end here," Geissler said.

On the Democratic side, Bean's campaign netted $211,955 between Oct. 1 and Jan. 13.

More than 70 donations came from political action committees for a variety of companies and industries, Bean's report said. Among them were groups representing Abbott Laboratories employees, the American Insurance Association, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase & Co., MetLife and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.

The 8th District includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties. The seat carries a 2-year term.