State Representative Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) is trying to fend off a challenge by Joshua Griffith of Abingdon in the March 20 Illinois Republican primary election. Both candidates are getting some financial help from big donors.
The campaign finance tracking website, Illinois Sunshine ranks their contest in the 93rd House District as the second most contested race for the Illinois General Assembly with more than a million dollars invested in the candidates. That’s up from its original eighth place ranking last fall.
According to Illinois Sunshine, Hammond has about $601,000 on hand. Her largest donor is the House Republican Organization, which has given her $225,000 this week alone.
Griffith has $16,140 on hand according to Illinois Sunshine. But, that figure does not include the independent financial support he’s received from the super PAC Liberty Principlesled by Dan Proft of Chicago.
Because it is a super PAC, Liberty Principles, cannot give Griffith money directly. Instead, the PAC has purchased, on Griffith’s behalf, more than $330,000 worth of television and radio advertisements plus postage for campaign literature since the beginning of the year.
According to Illinois Sunshine, the $25,392 of independent expenditures spent in support of Hammond as seen in the photo below came from the super PAC,Illinois Realtors Fund.
Meanwhile, the $336,298 of the independent expenditures spent in support of Griffith came from Liberty Principles as did the $3,040 spent in opposition to Hammond.
The winner of the Republican primary will face John Curtis of Macomb, who is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
According to Illinois Sunshine, Curtis has $150,000 on hand. That includes a $50,000 donation this month from the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
