Kirk opponents garner support

Democratic hopefuls to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk are getting good financial support, election records show.

Wilmette business consultant Dan Seals, who gave Kirk a scare in 2006, had nearly $499,000 on hand as of Sept. 30. He has raised more than $303,000 since June 30.

Buffalo Grove businessman Jay Footlik, an adviser on Middle East and Jewish affairs, entered the race in June. He has $414,000 cash on hand as of Sept. 30, raising about $193,000 since June 30.

Kirk, seeking a fifth term, had raised about $538,000 since June 30 and has more than $1.5 million on hand as of Sept. 30.

More Coverage Local Congressional campaign finance reports Bean fund-raising machine running strong

In the 2006 general election, Democrats were buoyed by Seals' strong showing as a first-time candidate.

Seals gave Kirk, a Republican from Highland Park, his closest re-election race, finishing about 7 percentage points behind.

And, like 2006, Seals will be in a primary race for a seat expected to see national party attention as the November general election nears.

Seals is again relying heavily on local donors, although he also has union support and contributions from national party leaders U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky, of Evanston, and James Clyburn of South Carolina.

"We picked up some momentum," Seals said. "One of the big lessons from last time is that the campaign started too late -- it was an 11-month campaign but we didn't get the results we wanted."

Footlik, who was an actor in his youth, including bit parts on television, said he had been approached to run against Kirk in 2006 but deferred. The product of a single-parent home, Footlik said he wanted to give time to his newborn daughter.

"What made me run this time is the frustration of not taking the seat and that Kirk had escaped last time," he said. Both Democratic candidates favor leaving Iraq.

His contributors are spread from Los Angeles to New York, including notables in politics, business and entertainment. Dennis Ross, Middle East coordinator for Bill Clinton and Richard Holbrook, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany were contributors, as was television producer Norman Lear, chairman of Act III communications, who donated $1,000.

Both candidates say they are looking to November 2008, and organizations such as the Tenth Congressional District Democrats consider Kirk vulnerable.

"Either of them will be very strong candidates," said Lauren Beth Gash, who heads the group. "It's really meaningful the two Democrats running against him (Kirk) raised as much as he did," from June 30 to Sept. 30.