Obama, Clinton fight for Illinois cash

[TeamJordan23]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070615/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_turf_fight_2

Hillary Rodham Clinton — New York senator, Yankees fan and resident of Chappaqua, N.Y. — has a message for presidential rival Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record): Chicago is still my kind of town.

In the frenetic chase for campaign cash, Clinton isn't ceding her one-time home turf to the Illinois senator. The 59-year-old woman, born and raised in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, is relying on the help of the state's wealthy and connected.

High-profile attorneys, a philanthropist, longtime Clinton family friends and business leaders, including a son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, are among the prominent Illinois residents invited to a June 25 fundraiser.

While Obama and another top rival, John Edwards, have encroached on Clinton's new home turf of New York to raise money, Clinton has tapped her Illinois ties and political alliances dating to her years as first lady.

It hasn't been easy in the state she once called home.

In the first three months of the year, Obama raised $3.73 million in Illinois, compared with $373,000 for Clinton, according to their reports to the Federal Election Commission. Even Republicans Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) raised more in Illinois than Clinton did.