Chico raises $2.5 million for mayoral run

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Chicago mayoral hopeful Gery Chico has raised more than $2.5 million, his campaign said Monday, with Chico the first to reveal fund-raising figures for the Feb. 22 primary.

Chico has 47 fund-raisers scheduled for January. Chico said in a statement that 97 percent of his contributions come from Chicagoans — setting the stage to ding rival Rahm Emanuel for raising a lot of out-of-city cash. Chico’s public schedule routinely does not include fund-raising events.

“Since the day I announced my candidacy for mayor, my campaign has hustled day-in, day-out, to raise the resources and build the coalition to win this race,” Chico said.

Emanuel is expected to have a bigger figure — but then he had a running start with some $1.5 million left over in his House campaign fund. Emanuel also has been spending the most — more than $1 million in television ads alone. Singing star Jennifer Hudson headlines a fund-raiser for Emanuel Jan. 10 at the House of Blues in Chicago.

Emanuel also flew to Los Angeles for a funder hosted by his brother, Hollywood super agent Ari. Emanuel’s campaign will not disclose Emanuel’s smaller campaign coffees and dinners.

Carol Moseley Braun has hired a well-connected Republican fund-raiser, Lori Montgomery, among others, for her campaign.

Braun spokeswoman Renee Ferguson said: “Lori is on our fund-raising team along with LA Harris. Both Lori and her husband, Jim, go way back with Carol. Jim and Carol worked together in the U.S. attorney’s office.”