Democrats vying for Cook County state's attorney raise more than $16 million
As of early March, the four Democrat candidates running for Cook County state's attorney in the March 17 primary had raised a little more than $16 million combined, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Most of that was in the campaign coffers of challenger Bill Conway, who has raised $11.4 million, mostly from his father. Incumbent Kim Foxx has raised $3.4 million, filings show.
Attorney and former Chicago Alderman Bob Fioretti raised $743,775, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna More has raised $406,473.
Combined, the two Republican candidates raised a fraction of that, just under $180,000.
Republican candidate Patrick O'Brien, a former Cook County judge, reported contributions totaling $125,151. His opponent, former prosecutor Christopher Pfannkuche, has raised $54,757.
The Democrats received contributions from unions, political action committees, financiers, media moguls, private individuals and the candidates themselves. Their Republican counterparts count law enforcement associations, party organizations, private individuals and the candidates themselves among donors.
A review of Illinois State Board of Elections filings shows Foxx received contributions from Chicago Federation of Labor and Industrial Union Council PAC; the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees; Service Employees International Union, Chicago and California chapters labor PACs; as well as Emily's List, a PAC that supports female candidates. Individual contributors include Newsweb founder Fred Eychaner; film producer and media proprietor Jeffrey Katzenberg and Grosvenor Capital Management CEO Michael Sacks, among others.
Board of Elections records indicate the Illinois Justice & Public Safety PAC spent about $495,000 opposing Conway, a Chicago attorney and former prosecutor.
Conway's biggest campaign contributor is his father, William Conway Jr. The elder Conway, co-founder of the investment group The Carlyle Group, has contributed $10.5 million to his son's campaign, according to the Board of Elections.
Fioretti counts mostly individual contributions, as does More.
O'Brien mostly raised funds from individuals. Pfannkuche received contributions from the Chicago Police Sergeants Association and Park Ridge, Maine Township and Bremen Township Republican organizations.
The winners of the March 17 primaries will face off Nov. 3 in the general election.