Illinois’ Democratic leaders maintained a cash advantage over their Republican counterparts in the second quarter as the state’s Republicans struggle to raise funds, according to state campaign finance records.  

Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside) added $1.8 million to his campaign account. Just under $500,000 of that came from individual contributions, with the largest being $250,000 from the Sports Betting Alliance.  

He also received $20,000 from Cresco Labs, a medical marijuana company; $12,000 from Accel Entertainment Gaming; $12,000 from Restore Construction and $10,000 from Base Power, a Texas-based company that sells backup batteries for people's homes.  

But the largest chunk of money Welch raised — $1.3 million — came from transfers from other political committees.  

He received a combined $1 million from the Chicagoland Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC, $50,000 from the Illinois Health and Hospital Association’s PAC and $40,000 from the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) PAC.  

Welch spent just $226,342 during the second quarter. His largest individual expense was $29,827 to The Godfrey Hotel Chicago for an event. He also spent a combined $19,500 on compliance consulting with Nelson Wurth Consulting in Chicago.  

The speaker did not transfer any money out to other campaigns. He ended the quarter with just over $11.4 million.  

Senate President Don Harmon ended the second quarter with just under $20 million in his campaign account after raising $1.2 million in the quarter.  

Of that, $116,600 came from individual contributions. Harmon also received donations from Cresco Labs and Base Power.  

His largest individual contribution was $50,000 from Illinois Risk Management Services. Harmon also received $10,000 from the McDonald's Corporation; $5,000 from Anheuser-Busch Companies; $5,000 from Bristol Myers Squibb, a biopharmaceutical company; $5,000 from PCI Gaming Authority and $3,500 from the Target Corporation.  

Like Welch, most of the president’s fundraising came from other political accounts. He reported the same top donations as the speaker.  

Harmon transferred out $15,000 to the Illinois Democratic County Chairs' Association, $5,000 to the Gun Violence Prevention PAC and $1,000 to the campaign account of Joshua Crockett, who is running for McLean County clerk.  

The president spent a combined $409,459. His largest expense was $50,000 for a sponsorship with the James M. Sweeney Golf Classic, followed by $36,776 for mail production and postage and $26,000 to Western Golf Association for fundraising expenses.  

GOP fundraising

House Republican Leader Tony McCombie raised $257,012 in the second quarter, with $70,819 coming from individual contributions.  

She received $10,000 each from Ameren Illinois, Comcast and J & J Ventures Gaming, as well as $5,000 from Constellation Energy Generation and $3,500 from the Target Corporation.  

McCombie received a $30,000 transfer from the Illinois Health and Hospital Association’s PAC and $20,000 each from the Associated Beer Distributors of IL PAC and Health Care Council of Illinois PAC.  

She transferred $255,795 to other political committees, including $250,000 to the House Republican Organization and $2,500 to the Illinois Republican Party.  

She also transferred $250 to Republican candidate for comptroller Bryan Drew, as well as $250 each to Reps. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee), Dan Swanson (R-Woodhull), Dave Severin (R-Mt. Vernon), Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore), Ryan Spain (R-Peoria), Nicole La Ha (R-Lemont) and Kevin Schmidt (R-Cahokia Height).  

Her largest expense for the quarter was a combined $15,000 to The Newberg Group for consulting, followed by $5,006 to CMC Design for consulting and $3,857 to the Law Office of John Fogarty, Jr. for legal services.  

McCombie ended the quarter with $1,285,443 million.  

Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Lemont) reported $73,992 in contributions, $13,750 of which came from individual contributions.  

Curran also received $3,500 from the Target Corporation, as well as $2,500 from Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company and $1,000 from the Illinois HBPA Benefit Trust.  

His $44,000 in transfers included $25,000 from the Chicago FOP’s PAC, $10,000 from the Realtor Political Action Committee and $3,000 from the Underground Contractors Association State PAC.  

Curran transferred out $2,750. He gave $1,000 to DuPage County Board member Jim Zay; $500 each to Will County Clerk Annette Parker, DuPage County clerk candidate Patricia Kladis-Schiappa and DuPage County board candidate Grant Eckhoff; and $250 to the Illinois Federation of Republican Women.  

His campaign expensed $68,416, including $25,000 to the James M. Sweeney Golf Classic, $5,315 to Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse for fundraising food and beverages and $4,043 to Indigo Restaurant for a Senate dinner.  

Curran ended the quarter with just over $3 million.  

McCombie and Curran are not the only state Republicans to see lackluster numbers. Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey continues to fall behind his 2022 fundraising numbers.  

Read more: Corbett ends second quarter with more cash on hand than Bailey after $500,000 loan to his own campaign 

Republican candidate for attorney general Bob Fioretti raised $30,820 in the second quarter and had $28,303 on hand at the end, compared to Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s $173,816 raised and $1.7 million on hand.  

With rumors of a run for mayor of Chicago circulating, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias raised $3.6 million in the second quarter and has $21.8 million in his campaign account. His opponent for secretary of state, Republican Diane Harris, raised $6,296 and had $1,816 on hand at the end of the quarter.