* Keep in mind that this story is a targeted leak, not an actual report, but those are some pretty darned strong numbers…
Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk brought in $2.3 million for his Senate bid in the second quarter of 2010, making the last three months the strongest fundraising period of his campaign even as a sustained controversy over his military service threatened to undermine his standing in the polls.
A source close to the Republican’s campaign said Kirk raised $1 million just in the month of June, when the flap over a series of biographical misstatements was unfolding. Asked if the controversy impacted fundraising, a campaign adviser said: “The results speak for themselves.” […]
Kirk, a five-term North Shore Chicago congressman, has raised around $9 million through the cycle.
Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign isn’t releasing their numbers yet.
* Meanwhile, where the heck has Chris Cilliza been for the past year? Get a load of this lede…
In just the last 48 hours, the Illinois Senate race between state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R) has turned very nasty.
Please. These guys have been going at each other’s throats since day one.
*** UPDATE 1 *** A Mark Kirk campaign press release just revealed that the campaign is reporting $3.9 million cash on hand. Kirk had $3.7 million cash on hand at the end of the last quarter, [the number in that Lynn Sweet column is inacurrate - he actually had about $3 million COH] meaning he spent just about all most of the money he raised this quarter. That’s [still] a heckuva burn rate.
- fed up - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:08 pm:
In just the last 48 hours, the Illinois Senate race between state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R) has turned very nasty.
Unless I missed a challenge to a duel in the last 48 hours I am not sure how much nastier it can get between these two. Thankfully 2 more months of summer before election coverage really kicks in.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:13 pm:
I’m a little surprised.
Even I thought that this silly kerfuffle would be a bump, but I was wrong. It isn’t even a bump.
- Team America - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:14 pm:
No doubt Team Alexi is struggling internally to explain why their fundraising doesn’t reflect the pounding Kirk took in the press in the last month. If it turns out that Alexi couldn’t capitalize on Kirk’s missteps by bringing the cash in the door, POOOOF goes Alexi’s momentum.
- OneMan - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:16 pm:
Seems like it is a Targeted leek that is on target.
- Team America - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:17 pm:
I don’t think it was mentioned in the Politico story, but I am informed that Kirk will report around $3.9 million cash on hand.
Before everyone jumps on that, I agree he will need it.
- shore - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:24 pm:
National Journal had a really good thing earlier this week about spending on races for the us senate that I think is instructive and worth keeping and saving.
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/06/how_much_would.php
To me the state on there most like Illinois is pennsylvania in that it’s a big midwestern-or close state that hasn’t gone republican in more than a decade at the presidential level.
If you look at the money, the candidates were well over 15 million a candidate and I don’t see Mark getting past 15 million.
As we were reminded earlier-money isn’t everything-witness the case of blair hull, but as a Kirk supporter, I know obama can come in at any time and start raising ungodly sums for alexi so mark’s total seems low-particularly when you consider norm coleman-from minnesota raised 19 million and only 1/4 of that was for the post game theatrics.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:30 pm:
Very impressive. His team may not be able to handled a cri (half-crisis) but they can certainly rake in the dough.
- The 'Dale to HPark - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:34 pm:
Kirk leaks that he’s raised over $2 million… so in about three months we’ll find out he only raised 750k… sounds about right?
- shore - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:36 pm:
Team
Alexi’s fundraising should be in the toilet because his scandal happened at the beginning of the quarter so for april and most of may most people were writing his campaign off. Kirk’s, which was a drizzle compared to alexi’s tsunami took place near the end and had nowhere near the destructive impact.
- fed up - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:37 pm:
Cmon between his time at the bank and his handling of the Brightstar college program Alexi could probably turn pocket change into millions for his campaign.
Lets just say Alexi raises 10 million after he manages it their should be enough left to put leaflets on car windshields at a farmers market.
- bored now - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:41 pm:
that’s a damn fine haul. if i raised $2.3M, i’d be leaking the numbers, too. now we wait for alexi’s numbers…
- A.B. - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:51 pm:
The most telling thing is that AG hasn’t “leaked” anything. That means he probably wants his numbers to stay under the radar so financial supporters don’t abandon ship.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 2:57 pm:
WOW.
That’s an 87% burn rate. What in the world did he spend that money on? Are the D.C. consultants picking over his bones, or what?
I hope the cash didn’t do to the folks who put together that “careless” press conference. Whatajoke.
Yet another troubling sign for Kirk.
If Giannoulias can report more than $200K netted…and he should…I say the strategic victory goes to him, even if Kirk gets the headline.
- OneMan - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:05 pm:
== If Giannoulias can report more than $200K netted…and he should ==
You sticking with that with the new corrected higher net for Kirk
- Cincinnatus - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:24 pm:
The real number to watch is how much the DSCC kicks in. Big numbers mean Alexi is in trouble. Also watch RSCC kicks in for Kirk for the same reasons.
- Cincinnatus - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:25 pm:
And NO money from either is the worse case for these guys. You’ve been written off.
- Brennan - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:39 pm:
shore: Coleman’s race was 2008 in a blue state with Obama on the ballot running against big name recognition.
Kirk needs to raise money, but lets see what Alexi reports for the 2nd quarter. The White House has already sent out Messina, Duncan and Biden.
- PalosParkBob - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:48 pm:
At the last meeting of the “vast right wing conspiracy” that I attended last month, I heard that Kirk had 70+ PAID people working phones and knocking on doors last month full time.
Since I understand that a lot of the money he’s getting is national, it may be that a lot of national GOP insiders are feeding at the trough.
He’s really not much of a grass roots/volunteer kind of guy.
It sure doesn’t seem it was spent in Chicago area media buys.
I also heard that a lot of the overstatement of resume’ issues came from mercs throwing around BS and bloating to justify their existence.
Of course, there’s no excuse for the poor QA in the campaign creating this kind of tempest and bad press.
I’ll have to admit that the several million he spent last month was about the QUIETEST multi-million spending I’ve ever seen.
- shore - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 3:51 pm:
Minnesota is a lot smaller state. Kirk also has 10 years of brutal campaigns to draw upon as a donorbase. I’m usually one of his biggest fans here, but this is low for me and the burn rate is awful. Yesterday I was getting ripped here for being in the tank for the guy, it’s a nice sum, but if you look at that spreadsheet from the capitolfax’s sister publication, he’s actually doing poorly compared to pa 06-08 which is a state roughly the size of Illinois.
As far as dscc and nrsc, they do monthly fundraising reports and I think they are about even. Where the difference usually comes in is at the national party level -rnc vs dnc and the rnc for the first time in at least a decade because mr. steele is doing horribly and wasted lots of money. The RNC is usually the stopper-if all else fails it’s usually got the money to come in and support the congressional committees or play offense, not this year and I could see that coming into play here in the fall.
One other thing Rich did not mention which is on the sidelines but still relevant is the fundraising numbers for the republican governors association have been unreal-it’s run now by haley barbour and they have as of july 1, something like 40 million cash on hand which means I think they’ll be able to back up their public support for brady.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:11 pm:
=At the last meeting of the “vast right wing conspiracy” that I attended last month, I heard that Kirk had 70+ PAID people working phones and knocking on doors last month full time.=
Really? Get outta town!
Well they can certainly take me off of their “volunteer” list now.
So how much is he paying for loyalty…um, I mean “talent”?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:16 pm:
OneMan -
Kirk is netting $300,000 a month, or only $10K a day.
For the supposed #1 GOP opportunity in the country, that’s just awful.
To add to what shore said, the GOP has set up a shadow organization under Karl Rove to supplement Mr. Steele’s poor performance, but I don’t see how Mark Kirk can take money from Karl Rove without inviting a HUGE backlash. Besides, American Crossroads is a conservative PAC, and I’m not sure they’d WANT to help Kirk.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:17 pm:
So are you getting paid for being a fan, shore?
Not really any of my business, but I am wondering.
- Team America - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:35 pm:
Shore takes a shot at Team Kirk when it’s deserved, at least over at my blog. And I’m not sure not getting paid, so I doubt he is.
- raising kane - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:36 pm:
No anon 4:17, he is not being paid…but he would like to be.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 4:44 pm:
I really hope this is all wrong because Kirk’s starting to sound like Blair Hull–without Blair’s money, of course.
Should have realized something was going on when they sounded absolutely desperate a couple of weeks ago to provide transportation to move people around for the 4th if they were doing multiple parades–and are still making calls today to get people to show up.
If this stuff is true, I am so embarassed for my Party right now. Major Senate race–and no volunteer base?
Andy McKenna and his lot could have done just as good of a job of turning and pissing people off. And I’m sure there would still be alot of overlap in the “same old same old” getting paid big bucks, minus maybe some of the DC folks.
I’m so teed off right now for not having seen that I need to go for a walk.
- Capt. Kirk for Senate - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 5:36 pm:
Don’t be alarmed by our burn rate. We’re going to reenact the Kobayashi Floyd by rocketing towards heart of the solar system and slingshoting the ship back into deep space.
Mr. Sulu — set the controls for the center of the sun!
http://twitter.com/CaptKirk4Senate
- bored now - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:08 pm:
a lot less impressed now…
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:44 pm:
=He’s really not much of a grass roots/volunteer kind of guy.=
Well, they’re certainly burning up the phone lines today. I just got another call, this time asking whether I’d like to receive a packet of letters to the editor as suggestions to submit to local papers.
lol I guess blogging just isn’t recognized as something valuable to that Campaign.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:45 pm:
And to think, I’ve been burnin’ it up on two blogs for him.
Pfft.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:46 pm:
(DON’T anyone dare say it.)
- A Kirk Student Volunteer - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:48 pm:
Believe me, I wish the above rumor were accurate, but the Kirk campaign draws on a huge base of unpaid, energized students like myself for phonebanking and canvassing. No paid astroturf here folks.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:49 pm:
YDD–”10K a day…that’s just awful?” You must be kidding!
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:50 pm:
Well, I hope someone acknowledges, thanks you, and actually appreciates what you do–which I’m sure they will.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 6:51 pm:
6:49 wasn’t me.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 8:18 pm:
Rich, that link you cite to open Secrets is dated March 31, 2010, it is Kirk’s COH from last quarter.
The Tribune reports Kirk has $4 million COH now:
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/07/kirk-raises-23-million-for-us-senate-race.html
Not as high of a burn rate after all.
- Team America - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 9:32 pm:
Rich, didn’t you have a sentance on this post that said the Alexi campaign told you it wasn’t to release their numbers until after the holiday? What happened to it? Or was I dreaming? If that’s true, it’s a sign of serious trouble, doncha think?
- ourMagician - Thursday, Jul 1, 10 @ 9:37 pm:
Alexi will release tomorrow at 4:45PM-nice long holiday weekend for it fly under the radar.
- bored now - Friday, Jul 2, 10 @ 6:21 am:
Team America: until mark kirk files his fec report, we don’t know that these numbers aren’t fabricated. expecting fund-raising numbers the day after the close of the period demonstrates profound naivety on your part (or a lack of ignorance about politics).
but, hey, no surprise that one of kirk’s goons would try to create trouble for alexi. you’d think, with the blagojevich trial going on, that candidates would curtail the blagojevich-like tactics…
- Team America - Friday, Jul 2, 10 @ 6:34 am:
Why so nasty, bored now? A little miffed at Kirk’s big quarter?
I wouldn’t necessarily expect numbers from candidates so soon either… but Kirk put his out, obviously to stuff any question of whether his media troubles curtailed his fundraising (obviously not) and to put the pressure on Alexi. Looks like it’s working, since we’re all talking about it. Now that Kirk has released his numbers, of course all eyes are on Alexi to release his.
I could have sworn that Rich had posted something specific on when Alexi said he would be releasing his numbers, so that’s why I raised the point. If Alexi doesn’t put out anything today, I think we can all assume it’s not good news for him.
- bored now - Friday, Jul 2, 10 @ 12:39 pm:
rich said, “Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign isn’t releasing their numbers yet.”
there should be no surprise why kirk released his fund-raising total, and that’s because it’s impressive. and we always talk about these numbers, good or bad, on this blog. i don’t think it puts *any* pressure on alexi, especially not to release his numbers early. since i know that he was fund-raising ’til the end, it will take time to compile them. your assumption is stupid, first because you misread rich’s post and secondly because it lacks understanding of when numbers are normally released. you’re trying to manufacture something, put you’re doing so badly…