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Kathy Salvi's Senate Campaign Emerges, Begins Hitting Mailboxes

GOP U.S. Senate candidate Kathy Salvi.

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The Republican race for U.S. Senate has been filled with extreme rhetoric at times, but little of it has cracked into the mainstream.

Former congressional candidate Kathy Salvi jumped into the race in March and was immediately seen as the frontrunner with establishment backing, personal wealth, and a built in fundraising network. Salvi ran for Congress in 2006, finishing second in a Republican primary. Her husband, Al, served two terms in the Illinois House and lost a general election race to U.S. Senator Dick Durbin in 1996. Al Salvi also lost a race for Secretary of State in 1998.

A poll last month from WGN-TV and Emerson College showed Salvi running third behind candidates Peggy Hubbard and Bobby Piton, who have both spouted conspiracy theories and denied the legitimacy of the 2020 election.

It appears with three weeks left in the race, Salvi is ramping up. Her first mail piece hit suburban mailboxes Tuesday, playing up her conservative credentials.

Salvi loaned her campaign $250,000 in March, raised another $50,000, and filed with about $250,000 cash on hand at the end of March. Piton had $41,000 on hand at the end of March while Hubbard had around $13,000.

It isn’t clear what Salvi’s plans are for the final three weeks of the campaign or if she will launch any television ads. It doesn’t appear any senate candidates have gone on television at this point. Salvi was also endorsed by the Chicago Tribune Wednesday.

Salvi did not return a message from The Illinoize Tuesday night.

Whoever wins the senate primary will face incumbent Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who reported over $7 million cash on hand at the end of March.

Patrick Pfingsten

@pfingstenshow

patrick@theillinoize.com