Super PACs funding negative ads in Senate primary

Just five more days remain until the rancorous Democratic U.S. Senate primary race lurches to a dramatic finish on Tuesday, bringing a respite from political ads.

Front-runners Lieutenant Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi conducted their final in-person debate Monday but campaign wars continue on the airwaves.

While many political commercials are funded directly by the candidates, others sponsored by super PACs are playing a significant role.

They include cryptocurrency-funded Fairshake, which is paying for ads attacking Stratton, and Illinois Future PAC, which supports the lieutenant governor and counts Gov. JB Pritzker as a major donor.

Fairshake has parachuted into both GOP and Democratic campaigns since forming in 2023, according to Federal Election Commission data.

Donations this year from cryptocurrency-related businesses include $48 million from Ripple Labs Inc., $33 million from Coinbase, and $23.8 million from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, FEC records show.

Fairshake’s entry into the Senate contest came after the General Assembly passed a law regulating cryptocurrency in 2025. Fairshake attack ads have also targeted Democratic state Sen. Robert Peters and state Rep. La Shawn Ford, who are running for Congress.

FEC reports filed this week indicate Fairshake has spent over $9.8 million in the Senate primary, which includes ads tying Stratton to disgraced former Speaker Mike Madigan.

Illinois Future PAC has expended about $11.8 million initially focusing on commercials boosting Stratton and more recently anti-Krishnamoorthi ones linking him with cryptocurrency companies and MAGA donors.

Pritzker, who stumped for Stratton Thursday, made a $5 million donation to Illinois Future PAC in December. His cousin Jennifer Pritzker also contributed $1 million in summer 2025.

Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg and Chicagoan Stratton have each accused the other benefiting from “dark money” and being beholden to super PACs.

“I’m proud of the fact I have almost 90,000 donors who provide me with support because I believe in good government and it allows me independence,” Krishnamoorthi said at a Monday WTTW debate.

“It’s no secret why they’re coming after me,” Stratton said Feb. 27 in reference to cryptocurrency PACs. “This news came right after it became clear that I am on a path to victory. Our momentum is real.”

A vote for football

If the Chicago Bears were on the ballot, they’d win by a landslide, a survey conducted by Republican state Sen. Don DeWitte of St. Charles shows.

Over 1,250 residents responded, with 81.3% supporting efforts to keep the team in Illinois.

“Residents across our region understand that the Bears are part of Illinois’ identity and a powerful economic engine for our state,” DeWitte said in a statement.

About 76% of participants agreed with using state funds for infrastructure supporting a stadium, such as roads. And, nearly 69% want the state to receive some type of ownership or equity in return for investing public dollars.

Illinois lawmakers are considering legislation with incentives to keep the Bears in state as opposed to moving to Indiana.