Money may not buy happiness, but it’s an essential if not determinative element in political campaigns, along with factors like name recognition, endorsements and an organized volunteer base.
The latest candidate filings with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) give an idea of the strength of individual candidates in the 7th Congressional field, which on Oct. 14 increased to 18, then back to 17 on the same day. The primary will take place March 17, 2026
- The newest to enter the race, Kina Collins, showed no cash raised or spent on the FEC website. She enters the contest with good name recognition due to her having run against retiring incumbent Rep. Danny Davis three times previously. The question will be whether she can raise the level of funding needed to get her message out across a campaign arena that runs the near north side of Chicago to Chicago Lawn on the south, and from Chicago’s lakefront west to the DuPage County border, and do it against far better funded opponents.
- Real estate professional Jason Friedman expanded his cash advantage over the rest of the field, finishing the 3rd quarter with $1,086,551 in the bank after raising approximately $595,000. His cash on hand is currently more than the rest of the primary field combined.
The Real Deal, an online real estate news publication, reported that more than 200 of Friedman’s donations “have been tied to real estate professionals.” Other notable donors include Craig Duchossois, Mario Tricoci and restaurateur Rich Melman and his wife Martha.
Friedman has staffed up his campaign and spent more than $90,000 on consultants, research and polling so far, the filing shows.
- Thomas Fisher, a medical doctor in Chicago, showed strong fundraising in the 3rd quarter after entering the race in mid-August. He raised $377,898 and had $323,217 available Sept. 30.
- State Rep. LaShawn K Ford (D-8), who stood next to the retiring Davis when he announced July 30, raised $256,631, helped by his personal loan of $100,000. He had $233,174 as of Sept. 30.
- Melissa Conyears-Ervin raised a reported $225,375 in the 3rd quarter. She had $223,775 on hand Sept. 30. Also as of Sept. 30, Conyears-Ervin had $209,009 in her City Treasurer campaign fund, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
- Anthony Driver, Executive Director of the SEIU Illinois State Council, reported $102,600 raised in the 3rd quarter, with $75,164 on hand Sept. 30.
- Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins reported raising $101,631 Oct. 16, and had $55,655 on hand Sept. 30. He has a fund raiser scheduled in Oak Park this week.
- Former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin raised $129,285, and had $49,785 on hand Sept. 30. Between July 29 and Sept. 30, Boykin loaned or contributed a total of $40,500 to his campaign. He’s received eight contributions of $2,500 of greater, and received $1,000 from former Oak Park Village president Anan Abu-Taleb, $500 from Oak Park trustee James Taglia, and $3,500 from long-time supporter Willie Wilson.
Boykin, the first candidate to go up with a TV ad, has also spent $11,268 with Midway Broadcasting, which owns radio stations WVON and WRLL.
- And Anabel Mendoza raised $24,475, including a $13,450 loan to her campaign, and had $6,413 as of Sept. 30.
- Reed Showalter of Oak Park has raised a total of $103,210 so far, and had $99,132 on hand as of Sept. 30.
None of the remaining announced primary candidates has managed to raise $10,000, and FEC records show five have raised zero dollars so far.
In the wake of Collins entering the primary race for a fourth shot at the seat, veteran and comedian John McCombs withdrew from the race on October 15, and threw his support behind Collins. McCombs, who had $997.67 on hand, called the move a “John McCombs Campaign Consolidation.”
The second phase of what may well prove to be a further winnowing of the near-record primary field will come Oct. 27, when candidates begin filing petition signatures required to be placed on the March 17 ballot. Candidates must file a minimum number of signatures equal to 0.5% of primary voters in the district belonging to the candidate’s party, and a maximum of three times that number.
The filing deadline is Nov. 3, after which opponents and other interested parties can legally challenge those filings with the ISBE. Any objections to a candidate’s nomination papers must be filed no later than five business days after the Nov. 3 filing deadline.
