Brady raises $3.6 mil for gubernatorial bid

Republican Bill Brady said Thursday that he received campaign donations from 4,200 people during the first half of the year to raise $3.6 million in his bid to be Illinois governor.

Sixty percent of the donations were less than $100, the Bloomington state senator said.

But Brady wouldn't reveal other details, such as who the biggest donors were or whether he accepted any loans from his family. That information will be in the official report he must file with the State Board of Elections on July 20.

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn's campaign said it does not plan to release any fundraising figures until filing its official report. The campaign didn't comment on Brady's announcement.

Brady raised $243,000 between Jan. 1 and the Feb. 2 primary election, according to the Board of Elections. That means he has raised about $3.4 million since then, compared to about $794,000 he took in last year as he geared up to run in the primary.

Brady said he had $2.3 million in campaign cash available as of June 30.

Brady also announced that businessman Ron Gidwitz has agreed to serve as his campaign chairman.

Gidwitz, who unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for governor in 2006, is a moderate on many social issues. He could help Brady, whose strength has been among downstate conservatives, build bridges to similar GOP leaders in the Chicago area.