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Sorensen outraises GOP rival McGraw as 17th Congressional District race moves toward finish line

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, left, and his 2024 Republican opponent, retired judge Joe McGraw of Rockford.
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U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, left, and his 2024 Republican opponent, retired judge Joe McGraw of Rockford.

Democratic congressman Eric Sorensen is far outpacing Republican rival Joe McGraw in fundraising with just weeks to go before election day.

That's according to the latest reports both campaigns filed with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday. Sorensen raised more than $880,000 from July through the end of September, and ended the quarter with $1.8 million cash on hand.

His biggest single contributor is the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, according to OpenSecrets.org.

McGraw raised a little under $338,000 and had just about $385,000 cash on hand at the end of the period. The Republican may get a boost when House Speaker Mike Johnson hosts a fundraiser with McGraw in Peoria on Sunday. It's the speaker's second visit here this year.

A continuous flow of cash is vital at this point in the race, with both candidates burning through dollars to keep costly ads running on central and northwestern Illinois airwaves to maintain exposure and circulate their messaging.

McGraw is one of the National Republican Congressional Committee's "Young Guns." Those are candidates in key races receiving additional party support to help the GOP keep and expand its narrow House majority.

The 17th Congressional District is widely seen as the Republican Party's best pick-up opportunity in Illinois. But the Cook Political Report says Sorensen's chances of keeping his seat are growing. The political analysts recently moved the 17th Congressional District race from"leans" Democrat to "likely" Democrat.

FiveThirtyEight says Sorensen wins the race 92 out of 100 times in its number-crunching.

The 17th Congressional District was redrawn by Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly following the 2020 Census to more heavily weigh in their party's odds after more rural areas of the district began to tilt increasingly red. The current boundaries link the bluer areas of Peoria, Rockford, Bloomington, and the Quad Cities together.

McGraw is a retired judge from Rockford. Sorensen is a former TV meteorologist and the state's first openly gay congressman.

Tim is the News Director at WCBU Peoria Public Radio.