Bost Hauls In Cash While Bailey Fails to Get Outside Groups Involved
Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro), L, and his primary challenger, former Sen. Darren Bailey.
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Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) filed a fundraising quarter significantly outperforming his primary opponent, former state senator and 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey.
Sources tell The Illinoize Bost will report a fourth quarter fundraising total north of $450,000 and will report more than $1 million cash on hand when reports are due to the Federal Election Commission by midnight tonight.
UPDATED: Bost filed late Wednesday after raising around $469,000 in the fourth quarter with around $1.3 million cash on hand.
Bailey raised $154,000 last quarter and has $117,000 in the bank as of December 31.
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Bost’s campaign declined to confirm the fundraising numbers Tuesday night.
Bailey’s campaign, meanwhile, had around $100,000 in the bank at the end of September and raised around that much in the fourth quarter of 2023, we’re told.
Bailey had been counting on the conservative Club For Growth to come in and spend ad money on his behalf, even posting “B-roll” video three weeks ago for outside groups to use in ads. But, multiple Washington sources say Club for Growth is not expected to get involved on Bailey’s behalf.
Club For Growth declined to comment. The Bailey campaign did not return a message from The Illinoize.
It’s another roll of a snowball of financial troubles for Bailey’s campaign since entering the race last July. He has been overmatched by Bost’s fundraising and has yet to run a television ad in the sprawling 12th District with less than seven weeks to go to Election Day.
Bost and his allies have dominated the airwaves since beginning advertising in early January. Records show the Bost campaign has spent around $93,000 on broadcast TV ads in Harrisburg-Cape Girardeau-Paducah so far this month, and likely thousands more on cable. The conservative American Action Fund has spent another $82,000 in pro-bost ads in the southern Illinois market.
Bailey has purchased one 30-second commercial, during the Super Bowl on KFVS in Cape Girardeau, MO, next Sunday for $15,000.