Posted by Rick Pearson at 7:19 p.m.
The Illinois Republican Party is stepping up its general election fundraising by featuring former Alaska governor Sarah Palin at a Chicago-area fundraiser May 12.
Palin, the 2008 running mate to GOP presidential contender Sen. John McCain of Arizona, remains both controversial and a draw.
She is scheduled to be at the Westin O’Hare in Rosemont for 2 hours that day and state Republicans are trying to make the most of it.
For $25,000 donated or raised, a donor gets to be part of a private round table during the first half hour, including a photo. A $10,000 donation or fundraising bundle nets a photo and participation in the next half hour’s VIP reception.
A general reception will follow at $500 per person or $750 per couple, but no photo.
State Republicans just had a successful fundraiser last week featuring National Republican Chairman Michael Steele.
No word yet on whether the GOP’s U.S. Senate candidate, five-term North Shore Rep. Mark Kirk, will attend the Palin event. During the primary, Kirk sought some encouraging words from Palin during a previous Chicago visit, an attempt to blunt concerns that he was too moderate to woo conservative Republican primary voters. Palin did not respond.