Worth a look
Worth a look How the money was spent
$1,560 in rent, mortgage or utility payments to the candidate, family or their home
Campaign money can't pay expenses relating to a personal residence. These payments describe rent, a mortgage or utilities and went to the candidate, a family member, or the candidate's home address on file with the State Board of Elections.
What to check- A campaign office rented at fair market value in a separate property the candidate owns is a different question from their home; the reports don't say which.
- Security for the candidate's home is allowed when their public duties make it necessary.
The entries (1)
| Name | Purpose (as reported) | Date | Amount |
|---|
| Craig Wilcox | Rent | 2025-06-30 | $1,560 |
Rule: Rent, mortgage or utilities to the candidate or their home
“For the satisfaction or repayment of any debts or for the payment of any expenses relating to a personal residence.”10 ILCS 5/9-8.10(a)(4) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work
Context How the money was spent
$3,714.49 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. Not counted: $732.32 repaying the candidate's loans to the campaign or returning their money, which the law allows.
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 (7)
| Name | Who | Purpose (as reported) | Date | Amount |
|---|
| Craig Wilcox | the candidate | Rent | 2025-06-30 | $1,560 |
| Craig Wilcox | the candidate | Mileage | 2025-10-05 | $632 |
| Craig Wilcox | the candidate | Mileage | 2026-04-02 | $512 |
| Craig Wilcox | the candidate | Mileage | 2026-01-13 | $391 |
| Craig Wilcox | the candidate | Mileage | 2025-01-20 | $350 |
| Craig Wilcox | the candidate | Mileage | 2025-06-30 | $185 |
| Craig Wilcox | the candidate | Mileage | 2025-04-14 | $85 |
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
Context Context
77% of their itemized money came from party and caucus committees
$345,588.85 of $450,575.63 came from political party committees, which in the General Assembly mostly means the committees the four legislative leaders control. Party money has no limit in a general election; it's how the leaders fund the races they target.
What to check- Which committees: see the donors on their page.
Rule: Mostly party and caucus money
Context, not a rule. How findings work
Campaign money
$450,576raised, 118 itemized contributions, plus $3,038 in small ones
$732from the candidate (incl. loans)
$61,371spent
$81,162cash on hand on June 30, 2026
$392,186 of it in 49 large contributions reported on A-1s since their last quarterly report (through June 30, 2026): $1,000 or more from one source must be reported within days, ahead of the next quarterly.
IL Senate Republican Campaign Committee $133,669 2026-09-30 · IL Senate Republican Campaign Committee $108,000 2026-10-07 · IL Republican Party $103,670 2026-10-07 · Thelen Sand & Gravel Inc $3,200 2026-09-23 · AFSME IL Council No. 31 PAC $3,000 2026-09-09 · Plummer for Illinois $2,500 2026-09-17 · SRVF $2,006 2026-07-31 · Action Truck Parts $2,000 2026-08-14 · Ameren $2,000 2026-07-07 · Assoc Beer Dist of IL (ABDI-PAC) $2,000 2026-09-23
Where their money comes from (besides their own)
11%77%
IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsParties and legislative caucusesOther candidates and officeholders
Compare with all state candidates →
How it was spent: $61,371
Contributions to other committees$20,730
Other (as described)$14,989
Office, printing and supplies$14,401
Fundraising and events$3,927
Travel and meals$3,064
Donations and sponsorships$1,980
Consultants and field$1,820
Staff pay$250
Legal, accounting and fees$211
Largest payees: SRVF $15,000 Contributions to other committees · Bull Valley Golf Club $8,182 Other (as described) · Dean Wermer LLC $5,160 Office, printing and supplies · Bank Storage LLC $4,500 Office, printing and supplies · Craig Wilcox $4,447 Travel and meals · Crystal Cuisine $2,999 Fundraising and events · My Little Bow Peeps Shop / The Thoughtfulness Shop $2,604 Office, printing and supplies · My Little Bow Peeps Shop LLC $1,821 Other (as described)
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 |
|---|
IL Senate Republican Campaign Committee
Springfield | Business or group | $133,668.50 |
IL Senate Republican Campaign Committee
Springfield | Party | $108,000 |
IL Republican Party
Springfield | Business or group | $103,670.35 |
Thelen Sand & Gravel Inc
Antioch | Business or group | $5,200 |
AFSME IL Council No. 31 PAC
Springfield | Committee | $5,000 |
Marquis Energy LLC
Hennepin | Business or group | $5,000 |
Realtor Political Action Committee
Springfield | Committee | $4,500 |
Ameren
St Louis | Business or group | $4,000 |
Baxter & Woodman
Crystal Lake | Business or group | $3,300 |
Accel Entertainment Gaming, LLC
Bolingbrook | Business or group | $3,000 |
CSX Corporation
Jacksonville | Business or group | $3,000 |
Downstate Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC
Peoria | Committee | $2,500 |
Plummer for Illinois
Troy | Committee | $2,500 |
Sports Betting Alliance
Lubbock | Business or group | $2,500 |
SRVF
Springfield | Business or group | $2,006.25 |
Committee: Citizens for Colonel Craig Wilcox (every report they filed is on the State Board of Elections' site). Data current as of October 12, 2026.
Companies on the state register
Corporations and LLCs the Secretary of State lists Craig Wilcox as an officer, manager or member of.
| Company | Their role | Status | Gave to the campaign |
|---|
CJW VENTURES LLC
LLC, since 2024 · file 15492252 | manager | Good standing · last annual report 2025 | — |
MY LITTLE BOW PEEPS SHOP LLC
LLC, since 2020 · file 08422702 | manager | Good standing · last annual report 2026 | — |
From the Secretary of State's business records of October 13, 2026, matched by name and ZIP code against the address the State Board of Elections has for the candidate (or by name when the company itself gave to their campaign). Someone listed only at another address isn't found; search the Secretary of State's business entity search by file number for the full record.