Cash troubles, Edgar in HD & 80s ads - The Morning Trough

Up today:

Republican candidates for governor will be debating tonight on WTTW Ch. 11 at 7 p.m. This follows the Democratic debate Monday night.

Earlier, state Sen. Kirk Dillard is touting a rally with former Gov. Jim Edgar near O'Hare International Airport. He is even getting a satellite hookup for the event.

McKenna dropped a new ad over the weekend and Dillard's ad featuring Edgar is still running. Certainly Ryan is working to get up with a new ad soon, if he can get the money together. But he is not looking as good in that department as some of his challengers.

Ryan reported adding $26,000 to the bottom line Monday, but Dillard got more than $300,000 for a late game ad buy. The IEA teachers union chipped in $250,000 of that on Jan. 20. McKenna, meanwhile, picked up about another $100,000 in donations and plopped down another $400,000 of his own cash over the last few days -- ratcheting up the total he is spending from his bank account on this race to about $2.2 million.
State Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington reported bringing in another $50,000 recently.

For the Democrats, Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes reported another $250,000 or so Monday and Gov. Pat Quinn disclosed about the same amount. Hynes is getting help from the teachers and laborers unions. Chicago Ald. Dick Mell, father-in-law to Rod Blagojevich, wrote Quinn a check for $10,000 and the Burkes chipped in another $100,000 for the governor.

Quinn will be garnering press coverage announcing 1,200 jobs at the Ford plant on the east side of Chicago this morning.

Stroger put out a release Monday disputing he is as far behind in the polls as recent newspaper reports say. But we are still waiting for an answer as to why he tucked away $500,000 into CDs this summer and then fell far behind in fundraising as the campaign has worn on.

Terry O'Brien has released a new TV ad attacking Chicago Ald. Toni Preckwinkle in the primary for Cook County board president. Cook County Clerk Dorothy Brown is also up with a TV ad, that has a bit of a 1980s feel to it. See below.

For Senate, Democrat Cheryle Jackson is meeting today with WOW, Women Organizing Women, and then a lawmaker in Maywood.

Former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias are sparring in a new round of TV ads. See yesterday's post for those.

In the congressional races, state Rep. Beth Coulson is putting it all in with a TV and radio ad buy with a week to go. The ad features Edgar's endorsement. One of her opponents as been on TV for a weeks. See her ad below.

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, on the Republican side, is staying relatively quiet in the last week. Hinsdale businessman Pat Hughes is touting his endorsement from the Conservative Victory Fund, though he was been hoping to get a lot more -- like Dick Armey's Tea Party FreedomWorks or Sen. Jim Demint -- out of his numerous trips to the Hill.

The Debate:

Last night's debate between Quinn and Hynes was spirited, to say the least. An interesting exchange you should note occurred when Quinn tried to pounce on Hynes for saying he would support new casinos, declaring that under him Illinois wouldn't become the "Las Vegas of the Midwest."
Apparently it completely slipped Quinn's mind that he legalized video gambling machines in every bar, truck stop, liquor-serving restaurant and VFW club in the state -- basically making Illinois the Midwest's Las Vegas with as many slot machines as 45 new casinos spread across 15,000 locations statewide.
To the debate:
"I don't agree with that at all," Quinn said in response to Hynes' support for three new casinos. "We are not going to be the Las Vegas of the Midwest. He is for three casinos and I'm not."
Hynes: "That is interesting from the guy who signed video gaming and now has gambling in every bar and restaurant in the city."
Quinn cuts in: "Where you opposed to that? That was part of the funding for a jobs bill."
Hynes: -- "No, but I'm not calling someone else something that is hypocritical."
Quinn: "Well, are you for video gambling or not?"
Hynes: "I supported the capitol bill, but you are trying to say we don't want to turn it into..."
WTTW moderator Carol Marin cut in and switched the topic to whether video poker should be dumped. Neither really answered the question.

News you should know:

Some Senate candidates are not disclosing where they are getting their cash. Alexi Giannoulias and Jacob Meister are not detailing fourth quarter records.

Congressional candidates criticized for 'carpet bagging'.

Republicans split on campaign finance limits in governor's race.

Lt. Gov. candidate Scott Lee Cohen said he would spend $3 million of his own cash on the race, but has apparently realized that would be way too much. He is spending $1 million, nearly four times as much as his closest competitor, state Sen. Terry Link.

State Sen. Chris Lauzen's primary opponent open to given Chicago Mayor Richard Daley a casino.

U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean's office protested yet again over health care bill.

California's governator is suggesting his state should move undocumented prisoners to Mexico to save cash.

David Axelrod expects Chicago Mayor Richard Daley to run for re-election .