'Prepared for anything': Krishnamoorthi far outpaces suburban peers in 1st-quarter fundraising
Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi's $1.4 million first-quarter fundraising total blew the rest of the suburban congressional delegation's collections out of the water, federal records show.
Already known to be a skilled fundraiser, Schaumburg's Krishnamoorthi said he needs the cash to counter conservative billionaires who spend millions to boost their favorite candidates.
"I must be prepared for anything," Krishnamoorthi said through a spokesman.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of Highland Park ranked a distant second with a $552,409 haul, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville was third with $302,721.
Reports covering congressional campaign transactions made between Jan. 1 and March 31 were due to the Federal Election Commission by April 15. They're viewable at fec.gov.
Krishnamoorthi
In Illinois' 8th District, the Friends of Raja for Congress committee started January with nearly $11.2 million in the bank. It reported receiving $1.25 million in donations from individuals and $100,000 from political action committees.
The latter included:
• $5,000 from the American Psychiatric Association.
• $5,000 from Honeywell International.
• $2,500 from Dell Technologies.
• $1,000 from Lockheed Martin Corp. employees.
Krishnamoorthi reported about $243,783 in quarterly spending, and his committee finished the period with about $12.4 million saved - significantly more than any other suburban campaign.
When asked if his prodigious war chest is a sign of a future run for statewide office, Krishnamoorthi demurred. "Illinois is blessed with two of the most effective members of the U.S. Senate in Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth," he said. "I will continue to support them as long as they continue to serve."
Schneider
The Schneider for Congress campaign committee started January with $109,665, and it reported receiving nearly $406,346 from individuals and $146,000 from political action committees.
The latter included:
• $5,000 from Abbott Laboratories employees.
• $3,500 from Boeing Co.
• $2,500 from Home Depot.
• $1,500 from Walmart.
Schneider, who serves the 10th District, reported spending about $127,904, and he finished March with about $534,170 saved.
Foster
In the 11th District, Bill Foster for Congress started the quarter with more than $805,115 in the bank, and it reported receiving nearly $163,973 from individuals and $120,500 from PACs.
Foster serves on the House's financial services committee, and he received at least $81,500 from the financial industry, including:
• $5,000 from BMO Financial.
• $3,500 from Citigroup.
• $3,000 from Ally Financial
• $2,500 from Bank of America.
When asked about the cash coming from companies Foster's committee oversees, campaign manager Alex Salisbury said his boss strongly supports overhauling the U.S. campaign finance system.
"He's voted multiple times to end the dominance of special interest and dark money in our politics," Salisbury said, adding that Foster backs creating stricter disclosure rules and bolstering small donations with public funds to reduce the influence of special interests.
After spending nearly $146,122, Foster's campaign finished March with about $961,715 saved.
Underwood
In the 14th District, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood's committee started the quarter with $787,086 and reported receiving about $299,864. Of that latter sum, more than $251,216 came from individuals and $46,500 from PACs, including:
• $1,000 from the Air Line Pilots Association.
• $1,500 from the American Postal Workers Union.
• $10,000 from the American Nurses Association.
Underwood, a Naperville Democrat, also is a registered nurse.
Team Underwood reported spending about $318,311, including $25,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. It finished the period with nearly $768,639 saved.
Schakowsky
In the 9th District, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky's committee started the quarter with more than $900,705, and it reported receiving $258,690. Of that sum, nearly $218,946 came from individuals and $39,500 from political action committees, including:
• $2,500 from the American Car Rental Association.
• $3,000 from the National Association of Realtors.
• $2,000 from the Communications Workers of America.
Schakowsky, an Evanston Democrat, reported spending about $263,931, including $100,000 to the DCCC. Her committee finished March with about $895,464 saved.
Casten
In Illinois' 6th District, Downers Grove Democrat Sean Casten's campaign started the quarter with $54,416, and it reported receiving nearly $250,932. Of that sum, nearly $171,476 came from individuals and $70,000 came from political action committees, including those representing companies overseen by the two committees on which Casten serves - financial services and science, space and technology. Examples include:
• $5,000 from BMO Financial.
• $5,000 from Honeywell.
• $1,000 from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Casten reported about $68,145 in spending. That included a $2,700 payment in March to the U.S. Marshals Service that was requested by the agency to offset a 2018 donation to Team Casten from Nishad Singh, the co-founder of the bankrupt cryptocurrency company FTX. Singh recently pleaded guilty in a fraud case targeting FTX.
Beyond confirming they occurred, a Casten spokesman declined to comment on Singh's donation or the payment to the marshals.
Casten's campaign finished with about $237,203 saved.
Quigley
In the 5th District, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley's committee started the quarter with nearly $1.2 million, and it reported receiving about $87,677. Of that sum, $11,670 came from individuals and $76,000 came from PACs. Quigley serves on the House's appropriations committee and a subcommittee on transportation, housing and urban development, and his campaign received at least $23,500 from that industry, including:
• $1,000 from BNSF Railway Co.
• $5,000 from the Building Owners and Managers Association.
• $6,000 from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
Quigley, a Chicago Democrat whose district contains parts of the Northwest suburbs, reported nearly $138,783 in spending, including $50,000 to the DCCC. It finished the period with more than $1.1 million saved.
Ramirez
In the 3rd District, U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez's committee started the quarter with $118,702, and it reported receiving nearly $45,032. Of that sum, $26,032 came from individuals and $19,000 came from PACs, including:
• $4,000 from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's campaign committee.
• $10,000 from the Pelosi-associated PAC to the Future.
• $2,000 from Elect Democratic Women.
Ramirez, a Chicago Democrat whose district includes some of the West and Northwest suburbs, reported about $55,510 in spending, and she finished March with about $108,224 saved.
Garcia
In the 4th District, which includes parts of the West and Northwest suburbs, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia wasn't a particularly active fundraiser in the first quarter. But of course, he was running to be Chicago's next mayor at the time.
The Chuy Garcia for Congress committee started the quarter with less than $25,025, and it reported receiving about $29,332 during the period. Of that sum, $370 came from individuals and $9,500 came from PACs - including $2,000 from Pelosi's campaign and $5,000 from her PAC to the Future group.
Additionally, about $19,462 came as expense reimbursements from Garcia's mayoral campaign and other groups.
Garcia's congressional committee spent about $41,168 and finished March with about $13,188 saved.
Take the money and run
Here's how much the congressional representatives serving the North, West and Northwest suburbs reported collecting from donors in the year's first quarter.
Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8): $1.43 million
Brad Schneider (IL-10): $552,409
Bill Foster (IL-11): $302,721
Lauren Underwood (IL-14): $299,864
Jan Schakowsky (IL-9): $258,690
Sean Casten (IL-6): $250,932
Mike Quigley (IL-5): $87,677
Delia Ramirez (IL-3): $45,032
Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (IL-4): $29,332
Danny Davis (IL-7): $10,078
Source: <a href="https://www.fec.gov/">fec.gov</a>