Candidates › State Senate

Frank Lesko R

Republican candidate for State Senator District 48

March 17, 2026 primary: won with 13,259 votes (100%) · November 3, 2026 general

Worth a look

Context Late reports

1 large contribution ($1,000) 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 Friends of Steve McClure, received 2026-02-17, reported 2026-02-22: 3 business days, 1 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 (1)

Name	Date	A-1 filed	Business days	Allowed	Amount
Friends of Steve McClure	2026-02-17	2026-02-22	3	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

Campaign money

$186,459raised, 90 itemized contributions, plus $10,825 in small ones

$0from the candidate (incl. loans)

$168,664spent

$4,695cash on hand on September 30, 2026; $1,555 in debts

$149,394 of it in 29 large contributions reported on A-1s since their last quarterly report (through September 30, 2026): $1,000 or more from one source must be reported within days, ahead of the next quarterly.

Friends of Steve McClure $42,500 2026-10-05 · Friends of John Curran $25,000 2026-09-18 · Illinois Senate Republican Campaign Committee $15,475 2026-10-05 · Plummer for Illinois $12,300 2026-10-03 · Jil Tracy for State Senate $12,000 2026-09-24 · Committee to Elect Terri Bryant $10,000 2026-09-24 · IL Corrections Lodge 263 PAC $10,000 2026-09-24 · Macon County Republican Central Committee $10,000 2026-09-22 · Citizens for Arellano $2,500 2026-09-15 · LaHood for Congress $2,500 2026-10-07

Where their money comes from (besides their own)

9%15%65%

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

Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $168,664

Other (as described)$129,925

Office, printing and supplies$18,959

Digital and online$6,476

Fundraising and events$4,766

Donations and sponsorships$3,445

Radio$3,140

Mail and literature$1,179

Consultants and field$570

Postage and delivery$205

Largest payees: Hodas & Associates $129,775 Digital and online · A & B Printing $10,715 Office, printing and supplies · Woodward Community Media $3,140 Radio · Sam's Club $2,516 Office, printing and supplies · Awesome Campaigns $2,213 Office, printing and supplies · Papa Frank's $1,983 Fundraising and events · Kathryn Heffernan $1,208 Other (as described) · Amazon $1,175 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 contributors	Type	Total
Friends of Steve McClure Springfield	Committee	$46,500
Friends of John Curran Downers Grove	Committee	$25,000
Illinois Senate Republican Campaign Committee Springfield	Business or group	$15,474.82
Plummer for Illinois Troy	Committee	$12,299.70
Jil Tracy for State Senate Quincy	Committee	$12,000
Committee to Elect Terri Bryant Murphysboro	Committee	$10,000
IL Corrections Lodge 263 PAC Springfield	Committee	$10,000
Macon County Republican Central Committee Decatur	Party	$10,000
Springfield Partners LLC Springfield	Business or group	$5,000
LaHood for Congress Peoria	Committee	$4,000
Don & Wanda Tracy Retired · Retired · Springfield	Person	$3,250
Friends of Sally Turner Elkhart	Committee	$2,669.70
Senate Republican Victory Fund Springfield	Business or group	$2,620
Citizens for Arellano Dixon	Committee	$2,500
Regan for Illinois Decatur	Committee	$2,250

Committee: Friends of Frank Lesko (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 2026 state candidates.

Donor	To them	Candidates funded
Friends of Steve McClure Candidate or officeholder committee · Springfield	$46,500	2
Friends of John Curran Candidate or officeholder committee · Downers Grove	$25,000	2
Illinois Senate Republican Campaign Committee Party or caucus committee · Springfield	$15,475	10
Plummer for Illinois Candidate or officeholder committee · Troy	$12,300	6
Jil Tracy for State Senate Candidate or officeholder committee · Quincy	$12,000	7
IL Corrections Lodge 263 PAC Group or PAC · Springfield	$10,500	3
Committee to Elect Terri Bryant Candidate or officeholder committee · Murphysboro	$10,000	2
Springfield Partners LLC Business · Springfield	$5,000	2
LaHood for Congress Candidate or officeholder committee · Peoria	$4,000	11
Friends of Sally Turner Candidate or officeholder committee · Elkhart	$2,670	2
Senate Republican Victory Fund Party or caucus committee · Springfield	$2,620	10
Citizens for Arellano Candidate or officeholder committee · Dixon	$2,500	3
Regan for Illinois Candidate or officeholder committee · Decatur	$2,250	9
Balkema for State Senate Candidate or officeholder committee · Channahon	$2,200	2
Daniel Caulkins Retired, Retired · Decatur	$1,750	3