LYNWOOD, IL (WBBM Newsradio) -- One of the highest-profile campaigns in this primary election cycle is now in the home stretch, and there are signs that voters are starting to make up their minds.
People voting in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary have ten names to consider, and campaigns and special interests have spent tens of millions of dollars to get messages in front of them before they go to the polls.
But veteran South side and south suburban Congresswoman Robin Kelly, who's seeking the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, says the conversation about money, and who's donating it, isn't affecting her campaign.
"Whoever has the most money ... (it) doesn't make you the best candidate," Rep. Kelly (D-2nd District) said outside a polling place in this Cook County suburb on Wednesday, after casting her ballot in advance of the March 17 primary.
Two of her opponents in the Senate primary, Northwest suburban Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Illinois Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton, have made news for accepting donations from groups representing supporters of Israel, crypto-currency, and even from Stratton's boss, Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Rep. Kelly says the news about donations points out the need for campaign finance reform: "Good people don't win, good people don't run, and good people don't stay on because they're tired of being on the rat race."
Polls suggest the race may be tightening up, though there's no consensus front-runner, and Rep. Kelly suggests any pre-election poll should be taken with a grain of salt.
"All the people I've been in front of them, they've never said they received a poll," said the Congresswoman, who says people she talks to are interested in affordability, health care and have concerns about immigration enforcement.