Democrats Casten, Underwood ahead of GOP rivals in fundraising

WASHINGTON — Freshmen Democratic Reps. Sean Casten and Lauren Underwood outraised their GOP rivals in the second quarter of this year, according to Federal Election Commission reports made public Monday.

Casten and Underwood, whose election helped flip the House to Democrats, are major Republican targets for defeat in 2020.

So far in the 6^th Congressional District, only Casten and former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti, a Republican, are running, though former state Rep. Jeanne Ives, several sources said, has been weighing a bid. Ives declined to return multiple calls and emails.

Sanguinetti served under former Gov. Bruce Rauner, who Ives worked overtime to defeat. If Sanguinetti and Ives face off, it could be a fight all over again between the factions that played out in Rauner’s failed re-election bid: the GOP, pro-Trump, more conservative forces — that’s Ives — versus the more centrist conservatives, Sanguinetti.

In a bit of a pre-emptive strike against Ives, Sanguinetti released Monday the names of 40 Republicans who back her, including Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.; former Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.; former Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Ill., former Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood; DuPage County Board Chair Dan Cronin; and a group of GOP township committeemen, all influential in a Republican primary.

Here are the numbers for second quarter fundraising covering April, May and June:

6^th Congressional District

Casten raised $737,963 in the second quarter; to date for this cycle, $1,199,327

As of June 30, he had $899,888 cash-on-hand.

Sanguinetti, who jumped in the race just weeks ago, raised $103,647 and has $69,890 cash-on-hand. Rauner donated $2,800, as did his wife, Diana. Sanguinetti also loaned her campaign $5,000.

14^th Congressional District

Underwood raised $714,537 in the second quarter. She has $765,894 cash-on-hand.

Republicans

State Sen. Sue Rezin just announced her bid July 9.

Ted Gradel raised $304,905 and has cash-on-hand of $289,613. He loaned his campaign $30,000.

James Marter raised $18,817 in the second quarter, has $11,714 cash-on-hand and is carrying debts of $50,480.

Daniel Malouf raised $4,190 and has $3,172 cash-on-hand.