Illinoise -OR- If you're gonna S.W.A.G. about Illinois politics

Count the swag.

$2,550,391.00

Two Million, Five Hundred Fifty Thousand, Three Hundred and Ninety One Dollars.

AND COUNTING.

That's what the 9 candidates running in the IL-5th Special Election
have raised/will spend to fill the Gordon/Rosty/Flanigan/Blago/Emmanuel seat.
Fundraising for Rahm's 2008 race $2,878,252

That's $5.4 million raised and spent for ONE term in Congress representing the 646,000 people of the Fighting 5th.
230,000 people voted in the 2008 race giving Rahm a 120,000 vote margin of victory.


Gordon 16 years
Rosty 36 years
Flanigan 2 years
Blago 6 years
Rahm 6 years

Is this all real? Is this all necessary? Or is this a JOKE?

Wouldn't a jury-duty system of legislators be cheaper with potentially better outcome?