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Rep. Sommer reports $9,000 for November election
By Mike Riopell
mike.riopell@lee.net
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SPRINGFIELD — The early race for money in two local races for the General Assembly sets the stage for the campaign toward the November election.

On Monday, candidates had to report their fundraising activity for the first half of the year.

State Rep. Keith Sommer, a Morton Republican in the 106th District, has been challenged by union leader and Democrat Tom Shrier.

Sommer reported bringing in about $1,250 since Jan. 1, but spending $12,500. He has about $9,000 ready to go for the campaign in November.

Reports for Shrier, of Morton, weren’t immediately available Monday, but he survived a hearing in Springfield over objections to him appearing on the ballot. Shrier wasn’t kicked off the ballot Monday, but his eventual fate could be decided in late August by the Illinois State Board of Elections, a spokesman said.

In another race, state Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, has about $414,000 on hand to take on a challenge from Democrat John Devine of Athens in November.

Bomke picked up nearly $62,000 in the first half of the year, while Devine raised about $2,000. Devine had about $820 in his account at the end of June.

Included in Bomke’s fundraising was a $3,000 gift from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the union that represents many state workers. Bomke now represents many of the union’s members because the 50th Senate District includes Springfield. The district also includes part of Logan County.

Cash in state-level races is tracked differently from federal candidates, so Republican state Rep. Aaron Schock of Peoria isn’t using his state account to run for Congress in Illinois’ 18th district.

But Monday’s reports showed Schock gave much of what’s left in his state campaign account, about $100,000, to a Republican fund that tries to elect party members to the Illinois House.

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Reader comments on this story - 1 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

ES wrote on Jul 22, 2008 6:36 PM:

" I am a Democrat, but I must admit that Keith Sommers is a great representative who listens to the people he represents, who cares about education, and who will lead this district in the future. Keith, you are a good man who has my respect. "
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