EDISON PARK — Ald. Mary O'Connor (41st) has far more money on hand for the homestretch of the race for the 41st Ward seat on the City Council than either of her two challengers, records filed with the state show.
With voters set go to the polls on Feb. 24, and early voting already underway, O'Connor has raised at least another $10,000 since Jan. 1, after starting the year with $73,700 in her campaign account, according to records filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Edison Park resident Joe Lomanto, who owns two Ace Hardware stores, received approximately $22,000 in contributions in November and December, and started 2015 with $17,300 on hand. He has raised at least another $3,000 since Jan. 1, records show.
Chicago firefighter Anthony Napolitano started 2015 with $11,600 on hand after raising $13,000 between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. That includes $5,000 from Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2 on Dec. 4. Since Jan. 1, Napolitano received another $2,000, including $1,000 from the 43rd Ward Republican organization, records show.
Of the approximately $43,400 O'Connor spent between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, $13,500 — or nearly third of the alderman's spending — went to New Chicago Consulting, which is running her bid for a second term. New Chicago is led by Thomas Bowen, who served as Mayor Rahm Emanuel's top aide before leaving City Hall in 2012 to work as a political consultant.
O'Connor frequently votes to support the mayor's proposals.
O'Connor got two donations totaling $160 from Rita McGovern, whose husband Joseph McGovern unsuccessfully challenged Napolitano's nominating petitions, claiming the firefighter had not collected enough signatures.
Both Lomanto and Napolitano have said they would join the council's Progressive Reform Caucus, which frequently opposes the mayor and his proposals.
If no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote on Feb. 24, the top two vote-getters will square off in a runoff on April 7.
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