Elmhurst Democrat Raises $1M In House Race

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst Alderman Marti Deuter, a Democrat who is running for the area's House seat, has raised $1.1 million so far in the Nov. 5 election.

That is more than three times the haul of her opponent, Republican Dennis Reboletti, who has raised $323,000, according to state Board of Elections records.

District 45 includes parts of Elmhurst, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs and Westmont, among other towns.

District 45 was once seen as GOP turf. But Elmhurst Democrat Jenn Ladisch Douglass ended that tradition with her victory in 2022. She decided against running again.

More than 90 percent of Deuter's cash comes from state Democratic organizations. Nearly 60 percent of that money has been reported since Friday.

Republican candidates used to rely on megadonors such as former Gov. Bruce Rauner and billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin. In recent years, though, both have moved to Florida and stopped opening their wallets for campaigns

Much of the local candidates' money has been spent on mailers.

In her literature, Deuter has pointed to Reboletti's pro-life record on abortion before he left the state House in 2015. But she neglects to note that he has since shifted to a pro-choice position.

Meanwhile, state Republican mailers criticize Deuter for her votes on city issues, particularly fiscal matters. But Reboletti's allies on the City Council voted similarly.

Reboletti, Addison Township's supervisor, is no stranger to high-dollar races. In 2022, his campaign raised $480,000 in the race against District 23 state Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, a Western Springs Democrat.

By contrast, Glowiak Hilton pulled in nearly $3.4 million, according to Board of Elections records. She prevailed with 54 percent of the vote.