Two Ill. races get large boosts from independent groups

WASHINGTON–Just follow the money. Anyone looking for Illinois’ hottest congressional races need not look beyond Rep. Mark Kirk’s defense of his suburban Chicago seat and the contest for the open seat of retiring fellow Republican Jerry Weller in the

WASHINGTON–Just follow the money. Anyone looking for Illinois’ hottest congressional races need not look beyond Rep. Mark Kirk’s defense of his suburban Chicago seat and the contest for the open seat of retiring fellow Republican Jerry Weller in the exurbs and rural areas southward. Groups that did not consult with the candidates have spent about $3 million in independent expenditures on the two contests, according to data compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, based on Federal Election Commission records. Races in the state’s 17 other congressional districts barely register, if at all, in money from the groups, which typically are party-run operations such as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. The unusual exception is the contest between Republican Jim Oberweis, a millionaire investment manager and perennial candidate for public office, and Democratic Rep. Bill Foster, who won their special election earlier this year after longtime GOP Rep. Dennis Hastert retired. The independent groups spent about $4.7 million in the first match between Foster and Oberweis but none since then, according to the report and spokesmen for the candidates. That figure, though, is higher for any House race this year in the nation except a $6.5 million contest in Mississippi, which also included a special election. Of late, the biggest independent expenditures involved a $600,000 media buy the Democrats’ campaign committee made Tuesday, half supporting Illinois Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, and the rest opposing GOP businessman Marty Ozinga. The Halvorson-Ozinga contest has prompted the groups, which are legally obliged to make expenditures without consulting the candidates, to spend about $1.8 million. Halvorson has benefited more by independent expenditures. She has gotten about $847,000, including about $144,000 from EMILY’s List, a group that supports Democratic women candidates. In addition, about $974,000 has been spent against Ozinga, who has gotten about $10,000 in independent expenditures supporting him. In his race, Seals has easily outdistanced Kirk in getting help from independent expenditures, which often can go for such things as direct mail, phone banks and campaign ads on television and radio. The groups have spent about $535,000 to support Seals and about $535,000 to attack his opponent. The DCCC alone has provided virtually all of that money. Meanwhile, Kirk has only gotten about $189,000 with nothing spent to attack Seals. The Republican incumbent’s independent expenditures included about $170,000 from political action committees connected to neurological and orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists and emergency physicians. Groups that make independent expenditures without consulting candidates can and often do make direct contributions to the candidates or are a part of a coordinated campaign effort, categories which are reported separately to the FEC.  AP ______ Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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