The Illinois Republican Party filed its quarterly campaign finance report on the July 15 deadline. The party reported having just $223,000 in the bank. The next day, the party sent a letter to the Illinois State Board of Elections saying they were “reconciling” their records after a leadership change, and then noted that their actual end balance was $101,000 higher than it had reported the day before.
But that bit of found money was basically the end of the “good news” for the GOP last week.
Republicans no longer have a pet billionaire. Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin have fled the state. The legions of wealthy business titans who once contributed and raised money have either retired to sunnier climes or passed away. Several prominent party members have publicly shunned labor unions and their hefty political war chests, although the state GOP legislative leaders have at least tried to rebuild ties to trade unions and even the Illinois Education Association. But the heavily gerrymandered legislative map, combined with the current political climate, means they’ll mostly receive scraps.
And, yes, the House Democrats are struggling this month with scandals, including a state representative who resigned under pressure and another who was indicted. I’m not trying to downplay that at all. But Democrats have the national political environment, the local infrastructure and tons of cash behind them. The Republicans have little to none of that.
The GOP’s gubernatorial candidate, Darren Bailey, raised $1.3 million in the second quarter, which ended June 30. That sounds like a lot, but he spent almost all of that on direct mail fundraising costs. The huge expenditures do give him a prospect list for future fundraising, but he ended the quarter with a mere $128,000 in the bank. That was still a whole lot more than the rest of the statewide ticket.
Attorney General nominee Bob Fioretti, a perennial candidate, raised $31,000, spent $39,000 and had $28,000 on hand at the end of the quarter, along with almost $15,000 in recent debt. Secretary of State candidate Diane Harris raised $6,000, spent a bit over $4,000 and had a paltry $1,816.42 in the bank. Treasurer candidate Max Solomon, who ran as a write-in during the primary because the party failed to recruit anyone, raised less than $3,000, reported no spending and ended the quarter with less than $8,000. Comptroller candidate Bryan Drew raised $30,000 and received $47,000 in in-kind contributions from a company owned, ironically, by independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett. Drew spent less than $3,000, ended with $54,000, and had $25,000 in debt from earlier this year.
Man, that’s just downright pathetic.
But I suppose it doesn’t really matter anyway unless we see a massive sea change in national opinion in the coming months or the federal government finds a way to not certify certain election results. Regardless of where individual candidates are at this moment, they’ll have the money to compete. Unlike the Republicans, the Dems do have a pet billionaire (JB Pritzker), and I assume eventually for most of them, organized labor.
The Republican legislative leaders have tried to scrape and claw as much as they can, but they’re vastly outgunned. Senate Republican Leader John Curran raised just $75,000 in the second quarter. He spent $71,000 and reported having a bit more than $3 million in the bank. His caucus committee reported having $160,000 in the bank.
Leader Curran has three Republican-held districts to defend in the Chicago media market that have all trended Democratic in the last three cycles. Depending how bad things get, he could be defending a couple, two or three more.
The Senate Democrats have a ton of money to do whatever they want. Senate President Don Harmon has about $20 million in his personal campaign account and $1.7 million in his caucus account.
Over in the House, Republican Leader Tony McCombie has at least four Democratic-trending or swingy districts to defend and just $1.3 million in her personal campaign account and another $363,000 in her caucus account so far.
In contrast, House Speaker Chris Welch had $11.4 million in his personal account and $1.2 million in his caucus account. Like Harmon, he has more than enough money already, but more is never enough when there’s so much out there, so those numbers will likely rise by November.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 8:59 am:
Money can smell winners and losers.
That’s why money is money.
Tilting at windmills like trans rights and women’s right to choose have left the GOP both morally and financially bankrupt.
Maybe they can follow the lead of their lord and savior, who is quite adept at bankruptcy.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 9:12 am:
Old enough to remember when the GOP had this state locked down…cold.
All it took was a handful of incompetents, and a billionaire who tired of his toy quickly, to reduce it to an utter and complete joke.
- Norseman - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 9:16 am:
=== The legions of wealthy business titans who once contributed and raised money have either retired to sunnier climes or passed away. ===
This[banned exclamation point] Rich is on it. The party ran far right in the wrong state and can no compete. I suspect the base figures sending money to Washington is a better investment.
- Steve - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 9:20 am:
The GOP is fortunate that Illinois will not be gaining any Congressional seats after 2030.
- Jack - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 9:26 am:
Bob Grogan: “But he’s (Trump) got the hardest job in the world, and I probably have the second hardest job in the world, being chairman of the Illinois Republican Party.” LOL
- ChrisB - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 9:33 am:
It’s the modern GOP in a nutshell.
They don’t want to do the work. They just want to run to Social Media and cry about how unfair it is.
- Think Again - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 9:39 am:
= Illinois Republican Party…reported having just $223,000 in the bank…In contrast, House Speaker Chris Welch had $11.4 million=
Money, votes, power - the coin of the realm for Pols, but the season changes. Simply a matter of time till the impossible becomes the inevitable.
- Stones - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 9:41 am:
It wasn’t that long ago that GOP candidates were favored in statewide races. Besides the fundraising discrepancy, those GOP candidates sounded much different than GOP candidates from the past several years. The party has more issues than just fundraising.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 9:59 am:
The irony of it, the ILGOP abandoned workers and unions for billionaires who bailed on them. They were swept away in the Tea Party era, holding the state budget hostage for three years, something the ILGOP of old would have never done. Now they’re left holding the bag.
- NorthSideNoMore - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 10:24 am:
Stones @ 9:41~~~ Both parties have issues that are problematic, but until the GOP has a better answer to the abortion issue they will lose the suburban female vote, pretty simplistic but true. GOP base is not big enough to overcome that loss.
- Pundent - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 10:27 am:
When the tent shrunk the money did as well.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 10:41 am:
Pundent has made a very valuable point.
- OBkid - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 10:45 am:
The tent shrunk, but somehow republicans won the popular vote for the first time in a generation.
The analysis on this site has degraded significantly in the last decade. I used to learn something coming here.
- don the legend - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 10:57 am:
When your national and state GOP leadership is/was Trump, Vance, Rauner, Bailey, Salvi, DeVore etc., their troubles are easy to understand.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 11:12 am:
===republicans won the popular vote===
In Illinois?
===I used to learn something coming here===
Maybe that’s because you changed? This is an Illinois politics/government website. Always has been, always will be.
Bite me.
- train111 - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 11:34 am:
The Illinois GOP hasn’t figured out that you can’t run a campaign for governor of Alabama in Illinois and expect to win.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 11:35 am:
===I used to learn something coming here. ===
What’s truly funny about your comment here is that you made this statement after remarking “but somehow Republicans won the popular vote for the first time in a generation.”
This is an Illinois focused blog. Your nonsense about the popular vote suggests you’re more interested in defending your existing beliefs than being educated. In this case, I think you’re falling prey to the Double Down Effect because that’s the only way to explain why you’ve made a statement that is so dumb.
- Sound Retreat - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 11:37 am:
The Bruce Rauner catastrophe (2015-2019) still haunts the skeleton crew that was once Illinois Republican Party. The 2026 election was lost on the day of the 2026 primary.
Darren Bailey’s running mate (Aaron Del Mar) was a Rauner guy.
- 44 - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 12:21 pm:
Years of dancing on graves here. Move on.
- JS Mill - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 12:27 pm:
=The tent shrunk, but somehow republicans won the popular vote for the first time in a generation.=
Election fraud? That could explain it.
But the GOP and ILGOP got pasted here. Maybe explain the lack of a statewide elected since Bruce left? Was that due to an expanding tent? Otherwise, that was a swell comment.
=The Bruce Rauner catastrophe (2015-2019) still haunts the skeleton crew that was once Illinois Republican Party. =
Much like the way I think trump will haunt the republican party.
- It's always Sunny in Illinois - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 12:40 pm:
Republicans no longer have a pet billionaire. Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin have fled the state
One thing is for sure, Democrats do have their Pet Billionaire
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 12:41 pm:
=== still haunts the skeleton crew that was once Illinois Republican Party. ===
His appointees also actively haunt the halls of the Pritzker administration too.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 12:42 pm:
===Democrats do have their Pet Billionaire===
Which is pointed out in the column.
- Scoot - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 12:49 pm:
The right wing wanted to be in charge of the state party for decades…well now they’re in charge and it’s not looking good. No money, no good candidates, and no idea what to do.
- Frida's Boss - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 1:13 pm:
Well, they achieved Grover Norquist’s goal, so small you can drown it in a bathtub. I think he meant government, not the party, but hey, they must’ve taken it to heart for themselves.
- Leslie K - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 1:32 pm:
==I used to learn something coming here.==
Not trying to speak for Rich or Isabel, just myself: if you don’t anymore, then leave? I continue to learn things here, from Rich, Isabel, and the many thoughtful commenters. I’m grateful to have this resource.
- Annonin' - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 1:36 pm:
GOPIES have not figured out how to run in public and avoid using the Trump word. Too bad for them
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 1:47 pm:
I sometimes wonder what Thompson, Edgar and Ryan would have to say to the maga people that have ruined their party.
- low level - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 1:59 pm:
==I sometimes wonder what Thompson, Edgar and Ryan would have to say to the maga people==
1000%. I actively campaigned against them but always had a lot of respect for them and their people. They were worthy adversaries. That is all gone now.
==Used to learn something here==
You do you. Ive been around state politics since 1994 and am still learning on this page, especially from people like Tom, JS Mill, Candy and others. Try it sometime.
- chambana - Monday, Jul 20, 26 @ 2:50 pm:
===The tent shrunk but somehow republicans won the popular vote for the first time in a generation.===
The tent may have expanded in other places, but it appears not enough of that expansion happened in Illinois.
Or maybe it could be that after a string of unserious and radical candidates, IL voters have lost faith in the IL GOP. Until the state party can recapture its brand from the likes of Bailey, Ives, the Millers (no relation), and DeVore et al, that seems unlikely to change.