Democrats are touting former Rep. Brad Schneider’s polling numbers and money advantages compared to incumbent Rep. Robert J. Dold, R-Ill., as their general election rematch for Illinois’s 10th District begins in earnest following last month’s primary.  

An internal poll released to Roll Call from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee showed Schneider beating Dold by nine points with a margin of error of 4.3 percent, with Schneider at 42 percent and Dold at 33 percent. The poll was conducted through phone interviews with 526 likely general election voters via a live or automated survey.  

Schneider’s campaign also released a memo showing that the former congressman raised more than $818,000 in the first fundraising quarter of 2016. That’s a little more than the $730,000 than the Dold campaign say they raised in that time.  

However, Dold has nearly $2 million in overall cash on hand, which beats the more than half a million Schneider has on hand. Schneider had a bitter primary fight against Highland Park, Ill. Mayor Nancy Rotering that likely used many resources.  

“From backing massive Medicare cuts to breaking his promise to oppose the disastrous agreement that gives Iran a green light to fund terrorism and build nuclear weapons, the 2016 version of Brad Schneider is proving to be even more desperate and dishonest than the Brad Schneider that voters fired in 2014,” Dold spokeswoman Danielle Hagen said, when asked about the state of the race.  

Related:  Bob Dold Preps for Round Three with District’s Previous Seat Holder 
Illinois’ 10th congressional District is perhaps the most Democratic-leaning seat currently held by a House Republican. President Barack Obama won the district with 58 percent in 2012 — in that same year Schneider ousted Dold by just more than 2,500 votes. Two years later, without Obama on the ballot, Dold took back the seat — beating Schneider by nearly 6,000 votes.  

The district is rated a Tossup by the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call .  

Contact Garcia at EricGarcia@cqrollcall.com and follow him on Twitter @EricMGarcia


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