Springfield Mayor
Jim Langfelder has reported receiving $10,000 in contributions for his
reelection campaign, with $7,500 coming from Carol Zerkle, wife of corporation
counsel Jim Zerkle, and businesses owned by the city’s lawyer.
Four
contributions, all in $2,500 increments, were received Monday, according to
records at the Illinois State Board of Elections. Besides Carol Zerkle, the four
contributions came from Iles Properties and Near North Cross, both commercial real
estate entities owned by Zerkle, and Artisan Business Group, a business and
consulting firm.
The
contributions represent a major cash influx into a mayoral race that, so far,
has lagged behind fundraising efforts four years ago, when Langfelder
collected more than $161,000 in contributions between the primary election and
the general election. Langfelder in 2015 defeated Paul Palazzolo, who is now
Sangamon County circuit clerk.
State
records show that Langfelder has raised slightly more than $90,000 for his
reelection campaign, an amount that doesn’t include contributions of less than $1,000 that have been made since Jan. 1. Frank
Edwards, the challenger, has raised slightly less than $74,000, not including contributions of less than $1,000 that have been made since Jan. 1.
Contact Bruce Rushton at brushton@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Mar 7-12, 2019.
