* US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi adds $3.1 million to his already bulging Senate war chest. Press release…

Today, the Raja for Illinois campaign announced that it raised over $3.1 million in the second quarter of 2025, outraising its closest competitor by three times. The campaign ended the quarter with over $21 million cash on hand.

The successful Q2 fundraising haul adds to an “eye-popping” $3 million raise in the first quarter, bringing the cycle-to-date total to over $6 million from over 35,000 donations.

News of another quarter with over $3 million raised comes just weeks after the campaign released a new poll showing Raja leading the field by thirteen points.

“Our campaign is driven by tens of thousands of supporters who know that Illinois needs a fighter like Raja Krishnamoorthi in the U.S. Senate. A product of public housing and food stamps, Raja knows what it’s like to be an underdog — that’s why he will never back down when Donald Trump hurts Illinois families who are working hard to get by,” said Raja for Illinois campaign manager Brexton Isaacs. “With growing momentum and a solid foundation of support, this campaign is built to win.”

Click here for a little more on that poll.

* Sun-Times…

The deadline for filing second-quarter reports with the Federal Election Commission is July 15, but campaigns typically tease some of their fundraising hauls, especially if they are bringing in a large amount.

Krishnamoorthi’s total trumps several other U.S. Senate candidates who have already reported their second quarter totals, including State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who is running for the Senate in Michigan and raised $2.1 million and Jordan Wood, a Maine Democrat running to try to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, who brought in $1.35 million.

In a May interview with the Sun-Times, Krishnamoorthi laughed when he was asked whether he feels annoyed or proud of the repetitive mentions of his fundraising abilities.

“I think it’s a sideshow. I think that I’m most proud of the tent. The fact that tens of thousands of people have entrusted me with their hard-earned money because they believe in my office. They believe in my mission,” Krishnamoorthi said.

* We told subscribers about this next topic earlier today. The Illinois GOP is pouncing on a Facebook comment from Rep. Harry Benton, who took a swipe at Gov. JB Pritzker’s LG pick.…

Yesterday, JB Pritzker introduced Illinois families to Christian Mitchell – a former do-nothing, corrupt State Representative. Mitchell’s rubber-stamp approval for higher taxes, corruption, both as a state representative and confidant of convicted felon Mike Madigan, are further proof that the Democrat Machine continues full-steam ahead while putting big-donors and special interests first. But don’t just take it from us; take it from Democrat State Representative Harry Benton in a now-deleted Facebook post:

Bottom Line: The ILGOP agrees with Democrat State Representative Harry Benton that Christian Mitchell is “the worst pick.”

* From the Illinois Republican Party’s Facebook page…

Benton told me he only met Mitchell once. “I don’t really feel like getting in the middle of a fight, but, you know, the one time I met him, he was dismissive, didn’t, didn’t care.” Mitchell told Rich he didn’t remember meeting Benton.

* Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid announces big cash stash…

The campaign of State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid today announced it will report more than $500,000 cash on hand in its upcoming quarterly filing.

“This is a clear sign that people are standing with Abdelnasser because they believe in his leadership and his courage to fight for justice,” said Campaign Chairman Clem Balanoff. “This level of support ensures we’ll have the resources to define any race on our terms and powerfully communicate Abdelnasser’s record and vision to voters.”

The fundraising total from more than 2,500 unique donors over the last year positions the campaign with the resources necessary for a strong election cycle. Full financial details will be available in the upcoming disclosure report.

Rep. Rashid told Rich this week that, despite some rumors floating around, he’s running for reelection.

* Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association…

Today the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association (IDCCA) announced that House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of the 8th Congressional District of New York will headline the annual IDCCA County Chairs Brunch, the premier Illinois Democratic event where its elected officials, leaders, activists and more gather to celebrate the past year’s accomplishments and prepare for the upcoming campaign season. IDCCA President Mark Guethle released the following statement.

“Illinoisans face unprecedented harm from Donald Trump and Elon Musk and I cannot think of a better national leader right now to talk to our party about how to meet this moment than Leader and soon to be Speaker of the House Hakeem Jeffries. We are truly honored Leader Jeffries will fire up Illinois Democrats on how the House of Representatives will fight back against the lawlessness, cruelty, and corruption of the Trump administration. This year’s Brunch will be an event no Democrat can miss as we discuss our path to win back the House of Representatives.” […]

This year’s Brunch will take place on Wednesday, August 13th at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield. More information can be found online at idccabrunch.org.

* Related…

* QC Times | Illinois U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi kicks off statewide listening tour with Moline stop: U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi held a meet and greet at The Atlas Collective in Moline on Tuesday to kick off a statewide tour as he campaigns to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. With Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati and former U.S. Rep. Phil Hare standing with him, Krishnamoorthi said his purpose in life is to make sure access to “the American Dream is there for everybody.”

* Crain’s | Stratton raises $1M in U.S. Senate bid: The campaign didn’t release an exact amount or details on donors, which should be available in filings later this month. The race to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in 2026 is already crowded. Stratton faces off against fellow Democratic U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a prodigious fundraiser who has amassed a war chest of more than $19 million, and Robin Kelly, who had about $2 million on hand at the end of the first quarter, according to Federal Election Commission reports.

* CBS Chicago | State Rep. Hoan Huynh running to succeed Jan Schakowsky in Congress for Illinois’ 9th District: Huynh is currently the Illinois General Assembly as the representative for the state’s 13th district, which covers parts of Uptown, Andersonville and Lincoln Square. He filed paperwork to run for Congress late Tuesday night. He released a campaign video Wednesday morning, becoming the eleventh candidate to enter the race for the Democratic nomination. He joins other popular elected officials in the area, including Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and State Senator Laura Fine.