SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker donated $5 million in December to a political action committee supporting Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s U.S. Senate bid, according to federal campaign finance records filed over the weekend.
Illinois’ billionaire governor had long been expected to use his hefty financial weight to bolster his No. 2, whom he’s endorsed in the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. It comes as Stratton’s own direct fundraising continues to lag polling leader, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, with just six weeks until the primary and early voting kicking off on Feb. 5.
Pritzker accounted for nearly 80% of the $6.3 million Illinois Future PAC raised in 2025, according to campaign finance records. Most of the rest came from his cousin, Jennifer Pritzker, who donated $1.1 million. The PAC raised more than $10 million though January, according to a spokesperson, who declined to say whether the governor was also behind the funds beyond what was disclosed.
Illinois Future PAC, which is run by former Pritzker political operative Quentin Fulks, used some of those funds to book $2 million in ad buys in late December, according to the documents. The group launched its first ad last month, highlighting Stratton’s status as Pritzker’s governing partner and casting her as someone who will “take the fight to Washington to pass ‘Medicare for all’ and tax the rich.” Two more ads have followed, each spotlighting Stratton’s call to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
While PACs can’t directly coordinate with a candidate’s campaign, they can raise unlimited sums from corporations, unions, associations and individuals to advocate for that candidate. This makes it an attractive vehicle for Pritzker to exert outsized influence on the race given the strict contribution limits placed on candidate committees.
That said, PACs don’t offer the same bang-per-buck that Stratton's own advertising would provide. Under campaign finance law, federal candidates are entitled to the lowest advertising rate on television and radio stations within 45 days of a primary election. PACs must pay full price, which is often double or triple the cost.
Stratton, a first-time federal candidate, did not have years to build up her campaign war chest like her leading opponents, Krishnamoorthi and Rep. Robin Kelly of Lynwood, as federal and state elections are governed by different fundraising laws. As a result, she began the race at a financial disadvantage, and it’s persisted.
Stratton raised $1.1 million and spent $912,379 in the final three months of 2025, leaving her with $1.1 million in her campaign account at the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Krishnamoorthi raised $3.6 million and spent $6.4 million, leaving him with $15.2 million at the end of December.
About $4.8 million of Krishnamoorthi’s campaign spending last quarter was on television and digital advertisements. The Schaumburg Democrat had been the only Senate candidate on television for six months until the pro-Stratton PAC launched ads in January.
Kelly raised just $212,936 and spent $595,017 last quarter. The Lynwood Democrat has just under $1.6 million on hand.
Chasing the frontrunner
Krishnamoorthi started blitzing the airwaves in July with a set of biographical ads telling the state’s voters to, in a nod to his long last name, “just call me Raja.” Kelly and Stratton did not have enough funds at the time to run paid advertising.
An Emerson College poll last month placed Krishnamoorthi in the polling lead, with 31% support compared with Stratton’s 10% and Kelly’s 8%. An internal poll released by his campaign last week showed him leading with 43% compared with 17% for Stratton and 13% for Kelly.
In both polls, a significant share of voters remained undecided despite Krishnamoorthi’s advantage in name recognition. Stratton’s allies argue that this suggests his support is soft and that her numbers will improve as more voters become familiar with her.
While the pro-Stratton PAC is running ads, Stratton’s campaign isn’t on air yet.
Kelly launched her first ad this week. The 30-second hit highlights her effort to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and to “dismantle ICE.” It is part of a larger $2 million ad buy that will run through the March 17 primary, Politico reported.
All three leading candidates have honed in on the issue of immigration, which has been center stage since “Operation Midway Blitz” began in the Chicago area last September. It has taken even greater importance since two American citizens were killed last month in separate incidents by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.
Read more: 2nd Senate debate: Democrats talk fighting Trump, restoring trust in government | Illinois’ Democratic U.S. Senate primary heats up over ICE
Krishnamoorthi donates Trump-tied contributions
Krishnamoorthi donated $33,000 to nonprofits that provide services to immigrants after receiving campaign contributions from people connected to President Donald Trump or companies that have contracts with immigration enforcement agencies.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported in December that Krishnamoorthi received $29,300 from Shyam Sankar since 2015, including $3,500 last June. Sankar is a Trump ally and the chief technology officer of Palantir — a company that holds a $30 million contract with ICE to help track individuals for deportation.
The Sun-Times reported Krishnamoorthi has received more than $90,000 over the years from people connected to the president.
The contributions sparked criticism from his opponents and Krishnamoorthi’s campaign announced he donated a sum equaling Sankar’s contributions to immigrant rights organizations, though the campaign declined to publicly identify them.
Campaign spending records released Saturday show Krishnamoorthi gave $11,000 each to Centro Romero, which provides legal assistance to immigrants on Chicago’s North Side; the Illinois Migrant Council, which connects immigrants to social services like education and housing; and Instituto del Progreso Latino in Chicago, which provides Latino immigrants with legal services and career development opportunities.
Tracy holds lead in GOP race
On the Republican side, former Illinois GOP chair Don Tracy holds a major cash advantage over his five opponents.
Tracy, of Springfield, is mostly self-funding his campaign, having loaned himself $2 million in August. In the final quarter of 2025, he reported raising an additional $83,709, which included $3,500 from Nebraska Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts, who is also a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs. He spent just $108,152, leaving him with $2 million on hand going into the homestretch of the campaign.
His next closest competitor on fundraising was Chicago attorney Jeannie Evans. She raised $510,861 in the last quarter of the year, but nearly all of it was her own money. She ended the year with $298,594 on hand.
No other Republican candidates reported having more than $6,000 on hand.
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