Candidates › State House

Brad Stephens R

Incumbent, Republican candidate for State Representative District 20

March 19, 2024 primary: won with 4,495 votes (100%) · November 5, 2024 general: won with 35,012 votes (100%)

Also ran for State Representative in 2026 ($632,753 raised), 2022 ($571,506 raised).

Worth a look

Context How the money was spent

$2,559.81 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 (1)

Name	Kind	Purpose (as reported)	Date	Amount
GM Financial	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2023-08-25	$2,560

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

Context How the money was spent

$1,063.64 paid by the campaign to the candidate

Campaign money may go to a candidate or their family only as pay for work actually done; reimbursing campaign costs they paid out of pocket (mileage, travel, supplies) is common and allowed. The purposes the campaign wrote are listed with each payment.

What to check

Whether each payment is a reimbursement for campaign costs, or pay for work done.
Family is matched by last name and the home address on file with the Board; relatives elsewhere aren't found.

The entries (4)

Name	Who	Purpose (as reported)	Date	Amount
Brad Stephens	the candidate	Mileage	2024-11-17	$273
Brad Stephens	the candidate	Mileage	2024-11-21	$273
Brad Stephens	the candidate	Mileage Reimbursement- GOP Day	2024-08-16	$267
Brad Stephens	the candidate	Reimbursement for staff holiday gifts	2023-11-20	$250

Rule: Mileage, reimbursements and pay to the candidate

“For payments to a public official or candidate or his or her family member unless for compensation for services actually rendered by that person.”10 ILCS 5/9-8.10(a)(11) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Campaign money

$607,260raised, 370 itemized contributions, plus $1,090 in small ones

$18,284from the candidate (incl. loans)

$624,980spent

$52,857cash on hand on December 31, 2024; $15,000 in debts

Where their money comes from (besides their own)

10%63%13%

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

Plus $23,284 of their own money and from their other committees. Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $624,980

Contributions to other committees$251,100

Donations and sponsorships$156,124

Other (as described)$99,500

Fundraising and events$38,004

Office, printing and supplies$37,707

Consultants and field$23,000

Staff pay$8,406

Print ads and billboards$4,935

Travel and meals$3,968

Digital and online$1,644

Largest payees: St. Andrews Golf & Country Club $59,867 Fundraising and events · House Repubican Organization $37,500 Contributions to other committees · McCombie for Illinois $35,000 Contributions to other committees · Leyden GOP $23,500 Contributions to other committees · Amazing Giraffe Consulting $23,000 Consultants and field · Nicole for Illinois $20,000 Contributions to other committees · American Airlines $13,500 Other (as described) · Edison Park Chamber of Commerce $13,400 Print ads and billboards

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 contributors	Type	Total
Citizens for Durkin Burr Ridge	Committee	$25,000
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 7 Chicago	Business or group	$24,000
Brad Stephens Mayor · Village of Rosemont · Rosemont	Person	$18,283.88
Realtor Political Action Committee Springfield	Committee	$13,500
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor Mgmt PAC Countryside	Committee	$11,500
Angles on Design Schiller Park	Business or group	$10,000
Audio Visual One LLC Schiller Park	Business or group	$10,000
Donahue & Rose, P.C. Rosemont	Business or group	$10,000
Gurtz Electric Co. Arlington Heights	Business or group	$10,000
Fred Hoffmann Owner · Ala Carte · Barrington Hills	Person	$10,000
Midwest Gaming & Entertainment, LLC Des Plaines	Business or group	$10,000
Northern Builders, Inc Schiller Park	Business or group	$10,000
Omega III LLc Elgin	Business or group	$10,000
Orange Crush, LLC Hillside	Business or group	$10,000
Rivers Casino Des Plaines	Business or group	$10,000

Committee: Brad Stephens for State Representative (every report they filed is on the State Board of Elections' site). Data current as of October 12, 2026.

Their home

$100,000 – $200,000estimated 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 Brad Stephens 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.

Their donors also gave to

Their largest donors who also funded other 2024 state candidates.

Donor	To them	Candidates funded
Citizens for Durkin Candidate or officeholder committee · Burr Ridge	$25,000	16
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 7 Labor union · Chicago	$24,000	2
Realtor Political Action Committee Group or PAC · Springfield	$13,500	86
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor Mgmt PAC Labor union · Countryside	$11,500	9
Rosemont Carpenters LLC Labor union · Rosemont	$10,000	2
Gurtz Electric Co. Business · Arlington Heights	$10,000	2
Orange Crush, LLC Business · Hillside	$10,000	2
D-R Rosemont, LLC Business · Rosemont	$10,000	2
Rosemont Latus LLC Business · Hoffman Estates	$10,000	2
Rivers Casino Business · Des Plaines	$10,000	31
Midwest Gaming & Entertainment, LLC Business · Des Plaines	$10,000	20
F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates, LLC Business · Chicago	$6,750	2
Constellation Energy Generation Business · Baltimore	$6,000	20
Superior Ambulance Service, Inc. Business · Elmhurst	$5,500	35
Chicago Journeymen Plumbers' L.U. 130 U.A. Labor union · Chicago	$5,250	12