Monday, July 21, 2008 9:35 PM CDT
Lawmakers report fundraising numbers
By KURT ERICKSON, JG/T-C Springfield Bureau
SPRINGFIELD — With less than four months to go before voters head to the polls, races for three downstate seats in the Illinois General Assembly are beginning to shape up.
On Monday, candidates for state offices reported fundraising figures for the first half of the year
In the 108th House District, Democrat Jason Warfel of Ingraham is challenging incumbent state Rep. David Reis, R-Willow Hill.
In the 54th Senate District, Democrat Henry Kijonka of Grayville is challenging incumbent state Sen. John Jones, R-Mount Vernon.
Warfel, who formerly worked for House Speaker Michael Madigan and Gov. Rod Blagojevich, reported raising $12,921 in the first six months of 2008.
His biggest contributor was the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union Local 149, which gave his campaign $5,000. Warfel also loaned his campaign $6,500.
Warfel spent $10,300,
leaving him with $3,727 in the bank.
Reis, a member of the House since 2005, reported having $22,407 in the bank. He raised about $20,000 and spent $16,400.
Reis’ biggest contributor was the Illinois State Medical Society, which gave him $1,000. He also received a number of small contributions from businesses in his district.
In the Senate race, Kijonka, the mayor of Grayville, has raised $18,350, which includes $15,000 he’s loaned himself.
Kijonka spent more than $7,000 in the first half of the year, mostly on newspaper advertisements and signs.
Kijonka reported having $8,566 in the bank on July 1.
Jones, a member of the General Assembly since 1995, raised $41,092 in the six-month period ending June 30.
Jones received a number of contributions from oil and gas companies which operate wells in his southeastern Illinois district. His biggest contributor was the Illinois State Medical Society, which gave him $2,500 in April.
Jones had $180,678 on hand at the close of the reporting period after spending $35,337.
State Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield, raised about $24,800 from mostly unions and political action committees to have $123,700 going into the November election.
Hannig is running against Republican Jim Curry of Carlinville, who hadn’t filed a report late Monday.
Hannig, who has represented the 98th House District since 1979, has been near the center of the state’s budget controversy, as he serves as the budget point man for House Speaker Michael Madigan. A budget Hannig signed off on has since been cut by Blagojevich, leading to lost funding throughout state government.
Mike Riopell of the Springfield Bureau contributed to this report.
Contact Kurt Erickson at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 789-0865
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