Who Does the IEA Teachers Union Think Is In Trouble?

Signaling the increasing (maybe I should “continuing”) reliance of House Establishment Republicans on the Illinois Education Association are several rather large recent contributions.

The biggest is Thursday’s $40,000 to House Republican leader Tom Cross. Anyone wonder who that will be used for?

And, contrary to the poll results being shopped around that show Sid Mathias way ahead of challenger Scott Bludorn, what else but a close race would explain the $13,000 Thursday gift to the incumbent’s campaign? On January 19th, the IEA gave Mathias $500. He also received $15,000 in June of 2002, so the IEA is probably just protecting its past investment.

And, what’s happening in Renee Kosel’s campaign against Chris McNeil? She got even more than Mathias--$20,000—on Wednesday. She got $30,000 right before the 2004 primary election and $15,000 the month before the 2002 primary. The former school board member must be an IEA “fav.”

First-termer Roger Jenisch, under fire from almost all of the DuPage County, also received a $7,000 shot in the arm Wednesday. He also got $1,000 in November.

$4,500 went to Elgin’s Ruth Munson. She doesn’t have a primary, so that is an interesting contribution. Maybe it is to get her ready for a tough general election.

And unopposed Roger Eddy got $5,000 Wednesday, too. Eddy back legislation to change to liberalize the definition of inflation for the Property Tax Cap, which would have cost taxpayers more money.

The $5,000 given to State Rep. Skip Saviano is undoubtedly meant to be passed on to others. It may be an echo of the $20,000 given to another Cross lieutenant Mark Beaubien right before the 2004 general election, most of which got passed around to needy Republicans.

Democrat Kurt Granberg got $10,000 today. Is that for Rod Blagojevich friends who are
in trouble.

Democrat Marlow Colvin received $9,000. He is being challenge by Emerson Douyon and Derrick Prince.

Not much of a McHenry County Blog hook, but I found the last minute infusions of camapign cash interesting.