Erik Jones Leads Fundraising Among Democrats in 13th Congressional District

A lawyer from southern Illinois is leading the money race among Democrats looking to unseat U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis in the 13th Congressional District next year.

Erik Jones of Edwardsville raised $221,354 in the three-month period ending Sept. 30, according to new campaign disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission. Jones, a former Illinois assistant attorney general and congressional investigator, now has $194,613 cash on hand.

"This level of support is a clear indication that Erik Jones is a serious contender," said Jones campaign spokesperson is Natalie Bauer Luce. "As a first-time candidate, Erik’s ability to raise funding at this rate shows that his message, focusing on healthcare and an economy that works in every zip code, is resonating with people in the 13th District. The energy and enthusiasm has been inspiring and this is clearly just the beginning.”

Another Democrat in the race, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan of Springfield, raised $182,026 last quarter, leaving her with $128,810 in cash on hand. Londrigan has been a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation.

“The swell of support that our grassroots campaign has received from neighbors around the 13th District is beyond encouraging,” Londrigan said in a statement. “It’s a sure sign that the people of central Illinois are demanding their seat at the table. I will continue to fight for affordable, quality healthcare, to protect our jobs, educate our kids and defend Medicare and Social Security throughout my candidacy and as a member in Congress.

“We’re all in this together, and together we are going to flip this seat—and give it back to mothers, fathers, daughters and sons who are working hard every day to create better lives,” she said.

University of Illinois professor Jonathan Ebel raised $96,797 and has $75,507 in cash on hand, FEC records show. Lagging the pack is David Gill, a Bloomington doctor who raised $23,448 last quarter and has just $4,408 in cash on hand. Gill has run for—and come up short—in the 13th District or its pre-redistricting predecessor five different times, most recently in 2016.

Davis, meanwhile, raised $385,636 last quarter, leaving him with $1.02 million in cash on hand. His third-quarter fundraising includes $148,827 from individuals and $235,808 from political committees, such as Political Action Committees (PACs).

Most Democratic candidate fundraising during the third quarter was through individual contributions, FEC records show.

The gerrymandered, sprawling 13th Congressional District includes parts or all of 14 counties, stretching from the western half of Bloomington-Normal all the way south to Edwardsville. While the district includes many Republican-leaning areas, it also includes Democratic pockets like college campuses.