Friday, May 11, 2007

2003 Article Describes Cox' Failed Senate Race

Here's an oldie but goodie about ANOTHER failed campaign John Cox ran. Why did John Cox fail in his 2003/04 race for the US Senate (hint: No fundraising)

Total fundraising to date for his 2007/08 presidential run: $13,000 (rounded up to the nearest thousand, to be generous.) What is that they say? "The more things change..."


Conservative candidate Cox pulls out of GOP race for Senate
Chicago Sun-Times, October 9, 2003

BY SCOTT FORNEK Political Reporter
Republican millionaire John Cox decided not to put his money where his mouth was this time around.

The Gold Coast businessman and radio talk show host plans to fold his bid for U.S. Senate today, opting not to dip into his personal wealth to make up for fund-raising that one source described as "embarrassing."

"Fund-raising was a huge problem, and he had to make the decision whether he wanted to self-finance or not," said another source close to the campaign.

Always ready to mix it up with his rivals, Cox, 48, was one of the most vocal of the nine announced GOP candidates in the race to succeed Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald. But today Cox is expected to throw his support to state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger.

"John is concerned that if you've got a bunch of conservatives fighting it out for one vote, the problem is that maybe a more moderate candidate who doesn't have the same views as Steve and John would emerge from the primary," said Nicholas Tyszka , Cox's campaign manager.

But even if he wanted to fund his campaign himself, Cox likely could not have paid for the entire contest without wiping out his fortune. The primary and general election could cost upwards of $15 million, and Cox filed documents showing his net worth somewhere between $1.4 million and $9 million.

Just last year, he reached into his pocket for $1,022,507 to pay for a failed run for Senate, after dropping $548,000 on an unsuccessful 2000 bid for Congress. This time, Cox vowed to rely more on outside contributors, but a disclosure report due later this month "would kind of been embarrassing," a source said.

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