Illinois Senate President Don Harmon continues piling up marketing campaign cash. His newest quarterly report for his private marketing campaign committee confirmed Harmon had $13.4 million within the financial institution, up nearly $2 million from the earlier quarter. His caucus committee ended with $2.6 million within the financial institution, up about $800,000 from the earlier quarter. And his two different committees held a mixed $1 million.
As I write this on Oct. 18, Harmon’s private committee has reported elevating $777,000 this month. No contributions have been reported from that committee this month. Harmon’s caucus committee has introduced in a bit over $2 million, most of that from Gov. JB Pritzker, and about $1.4 million in expenditures have been reported.
Which means the Senate chief is sitting on about $18 million for the house stretch. And since Harmon actually has just one race (Sen. Patrick Joyce of Essex), which is not actually that aggressive, it appears to be like like he’ll be banking most of that money for 2026. For certain, he’ll spend a few of it this fall, however he’ll head into the following cycle with an enormous money lead.
By comparability, Senate Republican Chief John Curran ended the third quarter with a bit over $1.9 million, up about $400,000 on the finish of the earlier quarter. He moved about $700,000 of what he raised to his caucus committee, the Senate Republican Victory Fund. That committee ended the quarter with about $163,000.
Curran’s private committee has reported elevating $127,000 this month and his caucus committee has pulled in $335,000, with $313,000 of that coming from Chief Curran. The caucus committee has made about $25,000 in contributions this month.
All that offers Chief Curran about $2.2 million to spend within the residence stretch, that means Harmon has nearly a 9-1 money benefit.
Home Speaker Chris Welch spent about $6.9 million in the course of the third quarter out of his private marketing campaign fund, raised $4.5 million and ended with $5 million within the financial institution. Democrats for the Illinois Home raised about $4.8 million, spent $3.8 million and ended with $2.1 million within the financial institution. Welch’s township committee raised $100,000 from numerous regulation corporations, spent $42,000 and ended with $251,000 within the financial institution.
As I write this, Welch’s private committee has reported $402,000 in contributions and moved $4 million into his caucus account. Except for that, Democrats for the Illinois Home has reported elevating $2.1 million, primarily from Gov. Pritzker, and has contributed $1.9 million.
That provides Speaker Welch about $7.8 million to spend within the closing weeks.
Home Republican Chief Toni McCombie raised $950,000 in the course of the quarter, spent $1.8 million and ended with $614,000 within the financial institution. The Home Republican Group raised $2.2 million (about $1.7 million from McCombie), spent $2.2 million and ended with simply $91,000 within the financial institution.
To date this month, McCombie’s private committee has reported elevating $256,000 and has contributed $450,000, all to HRO. Together with that cash, the Home Republican Group has reported elevating $857,000 to date in October and has contributed $606,000.
That provides McCombie solely $762,000 left to spend for the remaining three weeks. Welch has a 10-1 money benefit.
In the meantime, all 4 legislative leaders are presently not sure by state marketing campaign contribution limitations on their private committees as a result of they’ve contributed or loaned these funds greater than $100,000. As you’d count on, the Democratic leaders are doing much better than the Republicans.
Senate President Harmon busted the caps in January of 2023 with a $168,000 contribution to his private fund. Since then, his marketing campaign account has reported elevating $8.8 million in contributions above the usual $68,500 restrict for political motion committees.
Home Speaker Welch nullified his contribution caps in late March of 2023 with a $100,001 mortgage to his fund, which was paid again to him a few weeks later. Welch has since reported elevating about $6.9 million in contributions above the usual restrict.
Senate Republican Chief Curran busted the caps on Aug. 12 with a $100,001 mortgage, a debt he was nonetheless carrying on his newest report. Curran has raised simply $342,000 in contributions above the usual restrict.
Home Republican Chief McCombie busted her caps in late March of this yr with a $100,001 mortgage, which her marketing campaign paid again to her just a few days later. She has since reported elevating $650,000 above the usual caps.
So, the Democratic leaders have used the state’s cap workaround regulation to lift a web complete of $15.6 million, whereas the Republican leaders have raised a web of simply $792,000 (as soon as Curran’s mortgage is finally paid again). That is a 20-1 Democratic benefit.
That is all ridiculously lopsided.
