U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi continues to show off his fundraising powers, raising an immense $3.1 million since April in his bid to succeed outgoing U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.
Krishnamoorthi hauled in $3 million between January and March as he prepared for a run, then amassed another $3.1 million in fundraising from April to July, according to his campaign. The $6.1 million in contributions comes from more than 35,000 donations.
Krishnamoorthi’s haul brings his campaign war chest to more than $21 million cash on hand — with more than eight months to go until the March 17 primary. He also pulled in $1 million within the first two weeks of his Senate campaign.
Krishnamoorthi announced his bid in early May. His candidacy came a day after his House colleague, Rep. Robin Kelly, announced that she’s also seeking the seat. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton quickly jumped into the race in April, a day after Durbin announced he wouldn’t be seeking reelection.
Stratton, who has the endorsements of Gov. JB Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, reported more than $1 million in fundraising this week. It’s unclear how much or when Pritzker — a billionaire heir to the Hyatt fortune — might contribute to her campaign.
Kelly’s campaign did not disclose her fundraising numbers, but Federal Election Commission records show she had about $2 million cash on hand at the end of March.
The deadline for filing second-quarter reports with the FEC is July 15, but campaigns typically tease some of their hauls, especially if they are bringing in a large amount.
Krishnamoorthi’s total trumps several other U.S. Senate candidates who have already reported their second quarter totals, including State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who is running for the Senate in Michigan and raised $2.1 million and Jordan Wood, a Maine Democrat running to try to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, who brought in $1.35 million.
In a May interview with the Sun-Times, Krishnamoorthi laughed when he was asked whether he feels annoyed or proud of the repetitive mentions of his fundraising abilities.
“I think it’s a sideshow. I think that I’m most proud of the tent. The fact that tens of thousands of people have entrusted me with their hard-earned money because they believe in my office. They believe in my mission,” Krishnamoorthi said.