Money piles up for Oberweis in 25th District Senate race

Jim Oberweis still has the financial lead — at least in donations of $1,000 or more — among all other candidates running in the Republican and Democratic primaries for the 25th District state Senate race.

State election board records indicate he has received donations of at least $39,000 since Jan. 1. Supporters include Howard Rich of Pennsylvania, founder of U.S. Term Limits. Oberweis believes state legislators should be limited to eight years in office.

Candidates are required to report donations of $1,000 or more within five business days of receiving them, or within two business days in the 30 days preceding the election. Any other donations, including non-itemized ones of less than $250 and transfers in from other committees, will be reported on the first-quarter financial report, due April 15.

In the same time period, Republican David Richmond has received $6,000, which includes a $1,000 contribution from Keep Our Mission Political Action Committee. It is a Republican leadership PAC, which is registered in Virginia but is based out of Yorkville. It was founded in 1995 as Keep Our Majority, by former Congressman Dennis Hastert. Richmond worked for the former speaker of the House. Richmond is the only candidate it has given $1,000 or more to in the 2012 election, but in the past it has supported state candidates including Steve Rauschenberger, Tom Cross, Sean Michels and Kay Hatcher.

Fellow Republican Richard Slocum has received at least $4,500 since Jan. 1, all from Philip Slocum, executive vice president of the Chicago Board Options Exchange.

On the Democratic side, Corinne Pierog lists one qualifying contribution since Jan. 1, a $1,000 donation from the West Suburban Teachers Union. Steven Hunter lists $7,500: $5,000 from himself, and $2,500 from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Education Committee. Hunter is a member of the IBEW, and is a union steward at his job with AT&T.