Rauner headlining Dold fundraiser

Illinois GOP governor nominee Bruce Rauner is headining a fundraiser at the end of the month in Lake Forest for former Rep. Bob Dold R-Ill., in a rematch battle with Rep. Brad Schneider D-Ill. to reclaim the Illinois 10th congressional seat he lost to Schneider in 2012.

Rauner is the draw at the March 31 event hosted by Mary Ellen and Greg Swenson. Rauner is billed as the “special guest”

Updates

The Democratic House political operation hit Dold for accepting help from Rauner, who at one point suggested the Illinois minumum wage be reduced.

“Bob Dold is pushing the Tea Party’s reckless agenda so hard that not only does he oppose raising the minimum wage, he actually wants to reduce it,” said Brandon Lorenz of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “It’s shameful that Bob Dold is hosting a $500-a-plate fundraiser with someone who endorsed his idea of taking money away from hard-working Illinois families by lowering the minimum wage.”

Dold campaign manager James Slepian said in a statement, “It’s no surprise to see the DCCC frantically trying deflect from the fact that Brad Schneider has spent his time in Congress hiding from his constituents and racking up a record as one of the least effective legislators in Washington. While Bob Dold is focused on bipartisan solutions to fix our broken economy and end the chaos in our healthcare system, Brad Schneider knows he has no record to run on and is desperately hoping 10th District voters won’t remember in November.”

End updates

The price points at the Dold event Rauner is headlining:

$500 Reception (Individual)

Donate of raise: $1,000 Reception & Photo (Sponsor)

Donate or raise $2,600 Reception and Photo and Lunch (Host)

Dold gets another fundraising boost on Thursday, when Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, the chair of the House GOP political operation — the National Republican Campaign Committee — helps Dold fundraise for what will be a very expensive November contest.

Walden is the guest draw at an event hosted by Janet and Gadi Cohen and Shlomoh and Yarona Ben-David at the Cohen Northbrook home. I reported earlier that Rep. Paul Ryan R-Wisc. is the marquee speaker at an April 11 funder for Dold in Chicago. Ryan, the House Budget Committee Chairman and Mitt Romney’s 2012 running mate, will appear at two Dold events: a reception at the Kirkland & Ellis law firm, 300 N. LaSalle and a lunch at the Chicago Cut Steakhouse, in the same building.