Candidates › State House

Dan Ugaste R

Incumbent, Republican candidate for State Representative District 65

March 19, 2024 primary: won with 6,952 votes (100%) · November 5, 2024 general: won with 33,393 votes (100%)

Also ran for State Representative in 2026 ($252,035 raised), 2022 ($163,656 raised).

Worth a look

Context How the money was spent

$4,225.22 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 (9)

Name	Who	Purpose (as reported)	Date	Amount
Dan Ugaste	the candidate	Mileage	2024-12-31	$1,012
Dan Ugaste	the candidate	Mileage	2023-09-30	$1,008
Dan Ugaste	the candidate	Mileage	2024-09-30	$862
Dan Ugaste	the candidate	Mileage	2023-12-31	$519
Dan Ugaste	the candidate	Mileage	2024-06-30	$336
Dan Ugaste	the candidate	Mileage	2024-03-31	$313
Dan Ugaste	the candidate	Mileage	2023-06-30	$162
Dan Ugaste	the candidate	Tolls	2024-12-31	$9
Dan Ugaste	the candidate	Tolls	2023-06-30	$4

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 Late reports

4 large contributions ($4,000) 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: $1,000 from Citizens for Durkin, received 2024-03-04, reported 2024-03-08: 4 business days, 2 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)

Name	Date	A-1 filed	Business days	Allowed	Amount
Citizens for Durkin	2024-03-04	2024-03-08	4	2	$1,000
Fueling Illinois Political Action Committee	2024-03-04	2024-03-08	4	2	$1,000
Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois	2024-03-04	2024-03-08	4	2	$1,000
John Bryan	2024-03-04	2024-03-08	4	2	$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 Late reports

2 contributions of $1,000 or more ($2,000) with no A-1 found

Each contribution of $1,000 or more must be reported on an A-1 within days of receipt, ahead of the quarterly report. These appear on a quarterly report, but no A-1 entry from the same contributor for the same amount within a week of the date was found. The largest: $1,000 from John Bryan on 2023-10-05.

What to check

The A-1 may list the contributor under another spelling or a different amount (a split check).
A contribution received and returned within the same period needn't be reported on an A-1.
Search the committee's A-1 filings on the State Board of Elections' site to confirm.

The entries (2)

Name	Reported on	Date	Amount
John Bryan	Quarterly	2023-10-05	$1,000
IMHA PAC	Quarterly	2023-10-05	$1,000

Rule: Large contributions with no A-1 found

“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”10 ILCS 5/9-10(c) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Campaign money

$305,355raised, 263 itemized contributions, plus $8,477 in small ones

$0from the candidate (incl. loans)

$244,738spent

$7,284cash on hand on December 31, 2024; $23,881 in debts

Where their money comes from (besides their own)

20%46%15%

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

Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $244,738

Contributions to other committees$93,095

Other (as described)$88,918

Consultants and field$23,438

Office, printing and supplies$17,209

Donations and sponsorships$6,351

Travel and meals$5,217

Polling$5,000

Fundraising and events$4,811

Digital and online$698

Largest payees: HRO $86,500 Contributions to other committees · Dolfin Consulting $22,237 Digital and online · M3 Strategies $20,687 Polling · 34 Publishing $19,515 Other (as described) · Dunloe Group $13,738 Consultants and field · High Ground Strategies $6,000 Other (as described) · Anderson Colonial Properties $5,625 Office, printing and supplies · Elect Inc. $5,250 Consultants and field

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
Illinois Republican Party Springfield	Business or group	$44,207.58
IL Bankers PAC Springfield	Committee	$20,000
Realtor PAC Springfield	Committee	$17,500
Brad Stephens for State Rep Rosemont	Committee	$10,000
Candidate Support PAC St Charles	Business or group	$10,000
Illinois Farm Bureau Activator Bloomington	Business or group	$8,456.56
CAR of Illinois Springfield	Committee	$6,500
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor Management PAC Countryside	Committee	$6,500
Community BancPAC Springfield	Committee	$6,000
Manufacturers PAC Spingfield	Committee	$6,000
John Bryan President · Geneva Construction · Sugar Grove	Person	$5,500
Purcell Strategies Inc. Western Springs	Business or group	$5,500
Area Erectors Inc. Rockford	Business or group	$5,000
Comcast Philadelphia	Business or group	$5,000
People for Mark Luft Pekin	Committee	$5,000

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

Their donors also gave to

Their largest donors who also funded other 2024 state candidates.

Donor	To them	Candidates funded
Illinois Republican Party Party or caucus committee · Springfield	$44,208	23
Illinois Bankers PAC Group or PAC · Springfield	$20,000	52
Realtor Political Action Committee Group or PAC · Springfield	$17,500	86
Brad Stephens for State Rep Candidate or officeholder committee · Rosemont	$10,000	4
Candidate Support PAC Group or PAC · St Charles	$10,000	4
Illinois Farm Bureau Activator Group or PAC · Bloomington	$8,457	18
CAR of Illinois Group or PAC · Springfield	$6,500	85
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC Labor union · Countryside	$6,500	97
Community BancPac Group or PAC · Springfield	$6,000	64
Manufacturers PAC Group or PAC · Springfield	$6,000	53
John Bryan President, Geneva Construction · Sugar Grove	$5,500	2
Purcell Strategies Inc. Business · Western Springs	$5,500	3
Comcast Business · Philadelphia	$5,000	34
People for Mark Luft Candidate or officeholder committee · Pekin	$5,000	2
Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois PAC Group or PAC · Springfield	$4,500	55