Big fundraising numbers in 10th District
Candidates in the 10th Congressional District raised serious money since mid-January, underscoring the importance of the seat to both parties.
Figures reported to the Federal Election Commission for the period from Jan. 14 to March 31 showed Democrat Dan Seals had more than $634,000 in net contributions compared with about $462,000 for Republican Bob Dold.
Seals reported having about $458,000 cash on hand as of March 31, compared with about $382,000 for Dold.
Seals reported a smattering of contributions from party insiders like state Sen. Susan Garrett and former state Sen. Dawn Clark Netsch, as well as nearly $36,000 from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. There also were contributions from national sources, such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Dold showed broad support from real estate and financial interests. Big hitters on his list of contributors includes Patrick Ryan, head of the Aon Corp., and Sam Zell, head of Equity Group Investments.
Longtime incumbent Mark Kirk, who is running for U.S. Senate and not seeking re-election to Congress, also contributed to Dold as an individual and through his Senate campaign. The race to fill Kirk's seat is expected to be one of the costliest and most closely watched in the country.
Seals, a business consultant from Wilmette, and Dold, a Kenilworth resident and owner of a pest control company, emerged as victors in furious primary races that featured the largest field of candidates in 10 years.
The 10th District covers eastern Lake and northeastern Cook County, including the affluent North Shore. It has been held by Republicans for 30 years, but the general election landscape is different this time because of Kirk's absence.
"It's one of our top pickup opportunities," said Gabby Adler, the Midwestern regional press secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which in 2008 pumped more than $2 million in the 10th District race.
Seals, who narrowly lost to Kirk in 2006 and 2008, said his reported fundraising total narrowly bested Kirk's first-quarter record.