Bailey campaign unfazed by $14 million funding gap with Pritzker

Newly filed records show a cash chasm between Republican gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey and incumbent Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker leading into the Nov. 3 election.

Bailey’s campaign reported $81,839 in the bank as of March 31 compared to Pritzker’s war chest of about $14.2 million, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Bailey’s running mate Aaron Del Mar of Palatine said the team is undeterred.

“We’re incredibly excited about our fundraising future. There’s a lot of people not only in Illinois but across the United States who are not fans of JB Pritzker” because of his policies or a potential presidential run, Del Mar said.

“If there’s someone in Pennsylvania who really likes (Gov.) Josh Shapiro and wants to increase his chance of winning in the (Democratic presidential) primary and wants to hurt JB Pritzker in Illinois, we’re happy to take a check,” Del Mar said.

“So what we’re doing right now is 100% nationalizing this gubernatorial race,” he added.

Bailey, a downstate farmer and business owner, also benefits from a base of consistent, small-dollar donors “that’s exponentially growing,” Del Mar said.

GOP candidates in Illinois face a challenging landscape in that a number of affluent Republican donors who previously bankrolled campaigns, like Citadel founder Ken Griffin and former Gov. Bruce Rauner, have moved out of the state. Wealthy business owner Richard Uihlein backed Bailey in 2022, but did not support him this cycle.

Meanwhile, Pritzker’s campaign spent close to $5 million in the first quarter of 2026 on paid media such as ads and had at least 40 people listed on payroll.

Pritzker, a Chicago billionaire who typically self-funds his campaigns, started 2026 with $23.3 million in hand and spent nearly $9.2 million.

Bailey’s campaign began the year with about $35,000, raised over $603,927, and spent over $557,140. Major expenditures included a $76,631 payment for direct mail fundraising in March.

Senate race

Pritzker also gave a major assist to U.S. Senate candidate and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton by donating $10 million to Illinois Future PAC. The entity paid for a barrage of political commercials boosting Stratton and critical of her Senate primary rival U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg.

Chicago Democrat Stratton won the March 17 primary handily.

Pritzker made a $5 million donation to Illinois Future PAC in December, and followed up with $3.5 million in February and $1.5 million in March, Federal Election Commission reports show.

Stratton’s campaign had nearly $695,250 as of March 31, FEC data showed.

Her Republican opponent, former Illinois GOP chair and Springfield attorney Don Tracy, finished the quarter with $1.54 million in the bank.