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Candidates › State Senate

Bill Cunningham D

Incumbent, Democratic candidate for State Senator District 18

June 28, 2022 primary: won with 20,641 votes (100%) · November 8, 2022 general: won with 45,430 votes (100%)

Worth a look

Worth a look Late reports

4 large contributions ($6,500.66) reported on an A-1 after the deadline

A contribution of $1,000 or more must be reported to the State Board of Elections within 5 business days (2 in the last 30 days before an election the candidate is on the ballot for). The latest: $2,000 from Illinois Medical Anesthesia PAC, received 2021-11-17, reported 2022-01-12: 37 business days, 32 past the deadline.

What to check
  • The receipt date is what the committee reported; a correction or a typo there changes the count.
  • A contribution received and returned within the same quarterly period needn't be reported on an A-1.
  • The Board decides on fines and can waive them (inadvertence, clerical error, days late).
The entries (4)
NameDateA-1 filedBusiness daysAllowedAmount
Illinois Medical Anesthesia PAC2021-11-172022-01-12375$2,000
P66 Co-Corporate Br2021-11-172022-01-12375$2,001
Centene Corporation PAC2021-11-172022-01-12375$1,500
American Airlines PAC2022-10-012022-10-17105$1,000
Rule: Large contributions reported late
“A political committee shall file a report of any contribution of $1,000 or more electronically with the Board within 5 business days after receipt of the contribution, except that the report shall be filed within 2 business days after receipt if (i) the contribution is received 30 or fewer days before the date of an election”10 ILCS 5/9-10(c) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Context How the money was spent

$11,909.28 in payments described as a vehicle purchase, lease or payment

The Election Code bars campaign money for club and gym dues, clothing, vehicles not used mainly for the campaign, and tuition, each with exceptions. These payments' descriptions name one of those.

What to check
  • Club: renting a club for a specific campaign event is allowed; dues aren't.
  • Clothing: costumes or items worn to advertise the campaign are allowed.
  • Vehicle: allowed when used primarily for the campaign or government duties.
  • Tuition: allowed for education directly tied to the official's duties.
The entries (24)
NameKindPurpose (as reported)DateAmount
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-08-09$704
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-07-08$522
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-01-20$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-02-18$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-03-23$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-04-08$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-04-22$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-06-22$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-03-02$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-04-05$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-08-02$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-09-02$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-09-08$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-10-08$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-11-08$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2021-12-08$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-01-10$486
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-05-16$485
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-06-21$485
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-10-26$485
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-11-28$485
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-12-27$485
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-04-25$484
Ford Credit - Car Leasea vehicle purchase, lease or paymentCar lease payment2022-09-27$484
Rule: Car leases and other restricted spending
“For membership or club dues charged by organizations, clubs, or facilities that are primarily engaged in providing health, exercise, or recreational services”10 ILCS 5/9-8.10(a)(7) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Campaign money

$1,301,128raised, 549 itemized contributions, plus $2,992 in small ones
$0from the candidate (incl. loans)
$766,843spent
$905,270cash on hand on December 31, 2022
Where their money comes from (besides their own)

IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsParties and legislative caucusesOther candidates and officeholders

Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $766,843

Mail and literature$286,252
Contributions to other committees$154,094
Other (as described)$137,926
Office, printing and supplies$80,859
Consultants and field$43,742
Donations and sponsorships$34,300
Digital and online$10,127
Fundraising and events$6,596
Staff pay$6,000
Print ads and billboards$3,724

Largest payees: The Strategy Group LLC $286,752 Mail and literature · Adelstein & Associates $98,592 Other (as described) · Mary for Illinois $50,000 Contributions to other committees · All For Justice $50,000 Contributions to other committees · Breaker Press $40,960 Office, printing and supplies · Nick Reinert $20,025 Staff pay · Porfirio for the People $20,000 Contributions to other committees · Beverly Country Club $17,900 Office, printing and supplies

Grouped by the purpose each payment lists (“direct mail”, “consulting”), so the groups are approximate; a consultant's payments to others (ads, mail) show under the consultant.

Top contributorsTypeTotal
LIUNA Chicago Laborers' District Council PAC
Burr Ridge
Committee$119,800
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC
Countryside
Committee$72,900
Carpentry Advancement PAC Fund
Chicago
Committee$57,500
Fraternal Order of Police Chgo Lodge No. 7
Chicago
Business or group$55,000
Clean Energy Illinois PAC
Chicago
Committee$30,000
Health Care Council of Illinois PAC
Springfield
Committee$30,000
Realtor Political Action Committee
Springfield
Committee$22,500
Affordable Assisted Living Coalition
Springfield
Business or group$20,000
Illinois State Democratic Fund
Oak Park
Business or group$18,725
Associated Beer Distributors of IL PAC
Springfield
Business or group$13,950.35
Invenergy
Chicago
Business or group$13,500
Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2 PAC Fund
Chicago
Committee$13,000
Illinois Laborers' Legislative Committee
Springfield
Committee$13,000
Affordable Assisted Living Coalition
Springfield
Committee$12,500
Anheuser Busch
St. Louis
Business or group$12,100

Committee: Friends of Bill Cunningham (every report they filed is on the State Board of Elections' site). Data current as of October 12, 2026.

Outside spending for and against them

$69spent supporting them
$0spent opposing them
SpenderAmount
Illinois Farm Bureau ACTIVATOR
general · 2022-10-26
for$69

Independent expenditures reported by other committees since January 1, 2021. The candidate doesn't control them.

Their home

$400,000 – $500,000estimated market value, 2026 assessment
$335,800median home value in Cook County (Illinois: $280,700)

The Cook County assessor's estimate of the market value of the home at the address Bill Cunningham filed with the State Board of Elections, shown as a range; the address isn't published here. Assessments trail the market and can be appealed, so treat it as a rough figure. How this works. Medians: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024.

Committees

Subcommittees: AI and Social Media (sub-chair) · Ethics (sub-chair) · Gaming, Wagering, and Racing (sub-chair)

Their seats in the current General Assembly, from ilga.gov. Compare with who funds them: their donors.

Their donors also gave to

Their largest donors who also funded other 2022 state candidates.

DonorTo themCandidates fundedBy party
LIUNA Chicago Laborers' District Council PAC
Labor union · Burr Ridge
$119,80091
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC
Labor union · Countryside
$72,900126
Carpentry Advancement PAC Fund
Group or PAC · Chicago
$57,50073
Affordable Assisted Living Coalition
Group or PAC · Springfield
$32,5008
Health Care Council of Illinois PAC
Group or PAC · Springfield
$30,00085
Clean Energy Illinois PAC
Group or PAC · Chicago
$30,0003
Realtor Political Action Committee
Group or PAC · Springfield
$23,082134
Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois PAC
Group or PAC · Springfield
$18,95097
Invenergy LLC
Business · Chicago
$13,50012
Illinois Laborers' Legislative Committee
Labor union · Springfield
$13,00088
PhRMA
Business · Washington
$12,50094
Nicor Gas
Business · Atlanta
$12,50070
Anheuser Busch
Business · St. Louis
$12,10017
Tomasik Kotin & Kasserman LLC
Group or PAC · Chicago
$12,00023
Clifford Law Offices
Business · Chicago
$12,00018