MOORE’S SUMMARY: Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign spent more than $7 million on television and digital advertising during the second fundraising quarter while Republican challenger Darren Bailey relied heavily on small-dollar donations amid a dearth of large contributions. At the same time, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias continued his blazing fundraising pace as he gears up for a likely run for mayor of Chicago.
THE GOV’S RACE: Pritzker, a self-funding billionaire, spent more than $11 million between April and June. About two-thirds went toward media buys and production, according to the campaign’s filing with the Illinois State Board of Elections. The campaign also donated $500,000 to the Democratic Party of Illinois. It had $3.1 million on hand at the end of June.
Meanwhile, Bailey’s campaign raised $1.33 million but spent $1.28 million, leaving it with just $127,990 at the end of last month. Half of Bailey’s haul came from non-itemized small dollar contributions. But it came at a cost: The campaign spent more than $900,000 on direct mail fundraising services used to solicit those donations, accounting for nearly three-quarters of its total spend.
Absent were any large contributions. Bailey’s largest donation last quarter was from businessman and 2022 GOP gubernatorial candidate Gary Rabine at $25,000.
Compare that to 2022, when conservative megadonor Richard Uihlein contributed more than $12 million directly to Bailey’s campaign and $42 million to an outside super PAC opposing Pritzker. Uihlein gave GOP runner-up Ted Dabrowski $250,000 last year but has otherwise largely stayed on the sidelines.
And according to its latest filings with the state, the outside group People Who Play By The Rules PAC, operated by conservative radio host Dan Proft, is shutting down with the remainder of its funds to be donated to GiGi’s Playhouse, a nonprofit that delivers programs to people with Down syndrome.
Bailey had less money on hand than independent Collin Corbett, who reported $379,163 in the bank after raising $558,240 — the vast majority from $500,000 the candidate loaned himself — and spending $184,076 last quarter.
Most of Corbett’s spending was on field work, an unsurprising revelation given the hefty 25,000-signature threshold to secure a spot on the ballot as an independent.
STATE OF THE RACE: Pritzker, a possible 2028 presidential contender, is viewed as a heavy favorite to win reelection with Illinois’ blue tilt and a national environment that is shaping up to be favorable for Democrats.
The governor’s virtually unlimited resources and the lack of interest from large GOP donors in funding Bailey’s campaign add more evidence to support this dynamic.
NEXT: Expect Pritzker to cut another large check in the next month or so to replenish his war chest and allow his relentless advertising campaign to continue.
MAYOR’S RACE: Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias continued filling his campaign war chest ahead of a likely run for mayor of Chicago, raising $3.6 million last quarter. As of the end of June, Giannoulias’ cash on hand was an eye-popping $21.8 million.
The bulk of those campaign donations have come from a combination of influential building trade unions and a who’s who of Chicago’s business community and civic elite.
The investment in Giannoulias comes as the field of challengers to incumbent Mayor Brandon Johnson climbs into the double digits.
Johnson has struggled with low approval ratings during his first three years in office. And a poll released by the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation at the University of Chicago earlier this week found Johnson’s approval at 23% and that just 14% of Chicagoans wanted Johnson to run for another term.
Johnson, who hasn’t yet said whether he’ll seek reelection, raised just $108,621 and spent $290,437 last quarter, leaving him with only $631,309 on hand. This gives Giannoulias a 35-to-1 cash advantage over the incumbent mayor.
As was the case in 2023, Johnson will likely have to rely on public sector unions, most notably the Chicago Teachers Union, to do most of the heavy lifting.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza, who announced her candidacy for mayor last month, raised $138,989 and spent $144,806, leaving her with $1.6 million on hand.
Among the other declared and prospective mayoral candidates, lobbyist John Kelly Jr. ($2 million), Ald. Bill Conway ($1.1 million), businessman Joe Holberg ($1 million), U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley ($376,675) and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas ($278,349) have the most cash on hand.
THE FOUR TOPS: Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, will have ample resources to protect and grow their supermajority caucuses this November.
Harmon has nearly $22 million on hand between three campaign accounts he controls while Welch’s total in the bank grew to nearly $13 million between three accounts he controls. Each received $1 million from the political arm of Operating Engineers Local 150. Welch also received $250,000 from the Sports Betting Alliance, an advocacy organization whose members include DraftKings and FanDuel.
Senate Minority Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove, reported $3.2 million on hand between his personal account and the caucus’ campaign arm. And House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, had $1.6 million on hand.
STATEWIDES: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who won the contested Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, raised $1.1 million and spent $702,614 last quarter. She had $1.1 million on hand. Republican nominee Don Tracy raised $132,555 and spent $163,529. He has $1.5 million in the bank — most of it from a $2 million personal loan he made after getting into the race last year.
State Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, who narrowly won a four-person primary race in March to become the Democratic nominee for comptroller, reported raising $65,302, spending $106,496 and having $108,583 on hand at the end of June. Republican comptroller nominee Bryan Drew raised $30,089, spent $2,721 and has $54,236 on hand.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Treasurer Mike Frerichs each reported having about $1.7 million at the end of June. Their Republican opponents, Bob Fioretti and Max Solomon, had $28,303 and $7,167 in the bank, respectively. Diane Harris, the Republican taking on Giannoulias for secretary of state, reported just $1,816 on hand.
CONGRESSIONALS: Among the state’s congressional delegation, Sen. Tammy Duckworth leads the way with $4.1 million in her campaign account. Among House members, Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, has the largest war chest at $6.7 million followed by Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, at $2.6 million.
And between his two federal accounts, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Schaumburg, now only has $122,841 remaining. Long the delegation’s top fundraiser, Krishnamoorthi spent $31.4 million in his unsuccessful bid to succeed Dick Durbin in the U.S. Senate.
Unlike the primary, where there was an open contest for Durbin’s seat and five Chicago-area congressional seats, there are no federal contests in Illinois that are garnering much national buzz.
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