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Three Illinois House Races Generate Big Money

With less than two weeks to go before the Feb. 2 Illinois primaries, candidates were required to file pre-primary fundraising reports with the Federal Election Commission on Friday, indicating a strong flow of campaign cash in the state.

Here is a snapshot of fundraising in three competitive House districts in the state:

• 14th district: Attorney Ethan Hastert (R), the son of former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), raised $202,000 from October to Jan. 13, the end of the pre-primary period. Hastert boasted raising $515,000 since he got into the race and had $172,000 in the bank as of Jan. 13. The other leading Republican in the primary, state Sen. Randy Hultgren, has raised $185,000 so far, including about $110,000 in the past three and a half months. But Hultgren does not have much left in his campaign treasury, reporting just $10,000 in cash on hand.

Whichever Republican emerges from next month’s primary will face Rep. Bill Foster (D), who has built a significant war chest. The Democrat raised $346,000 from October through mid-January for a total of $1.42 million so far this cycle. Foster reported having $1.03 million in cash on hand as of Jan. 13.

• 10th district: In the race to succeed Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), state Rep. Julie Hamos (D) had another impressive fundraising quarter. She raised $526,000 from October through Jan. 13 for a total of more than $1 million raised for the cycle. Hamos reported having $385,000 in the bank at the end of the period, plus about $29,000 in debt.

Marketing consultant Dan Seals (D), the party’s nominee in 2006 and 2008, raised about $180,00 from October through Jan. 13, and reported $146,000 cash on hand at the end of that period. Seals has raised $497,000 in the cycle so far.

On the Republican side, businessman Bob Dold had another strong quarter and outraised all of his opponents for a second time. Dold raised $201,000 from October through mid-January for a total of $459,000 raised this cycle. Dold reported $198,000 cash on hand plus $51,000 in debt.

State Rep. Elizabeth Coulson (R) raised about $150,000 in the latest period, bringing her cycle-to-date total to $370,000 (including $90,000 from her own pocket). She had about $132,000 cash on hand according to her pre-primary report.

Businessman Dick Green raised $17,000 during the pre-primary period. He has raised $323,000 this cycle, including $226,000 in personal funds. Green reported having $67,000 in the bank.

• 11th district: The National Republican Congressional Committee has endorsed Iraq war veteran Adam Kinzinger in the race against freshman Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D). Kinzinger raised $122,000 in the three-and-a-half month reporting period for a total of about $363,000 raised this cycle, and reported having $166,000 in the bank.

Halvorson raised $293,000 in the period for a total of $1.26 million raised this cycle. She reported having $952,000 in cash on hand as of Jan. 13.

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