Candidates › State Senate

Lauren "Laurie" Nowak D

Democratic candidate for State Senator District 24

November 8, 2022 general: lost with 40,329 votes (100%)

Worth a look

Context Context

63% of their itemized money came from party and caucus committees

$77,071.21 of $121,709.71 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

$121,710raised, 38 itemized contributions, plus $7,885 in small ones

$0from the candidate (incl. loans)

$49,196spent

$3,270cash on hand on December 31, 2022; $1,000 in debts

Where their money comes from (besides their own)

63%20%

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

Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $49,196

Mail and literature$24,583

Other (as described)$17,000

Office, printing and supplies$4,385

Staff pay$2,000

Fundraising and events$809

Legal, accounting and fees$419

Largest payees: Breaker Press $24,583 Mail and literature · Stomping Ground $15,000 Other (as described) · Maggie Wunderly $5,244 Staff pay · Minuteman Press $1,897 Office, printing and supplies · Minuteman Press Chicago $1,244 Office, printing and supplies · Okapi Bistro $809 Fundraising and events · Actblue $419 Legal, accounting and fees

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
Democratic Party of Illinois Chicago	Business or group	$77,071.21
Citizens For Linda Holmes Aurora	Committee	$6,000
Bennett for Senate Champaign	Committee	$5,000
Citizens For Castro Elgin	Committee	$5,000
I.P.A.C.E Springfield	Committee	$5,000
Citizens for Jackie Williamson Wheaton	Committee	$3,422.50
Material Solutions Laboratory Elk Grove Village	Business or group	$3,000
Citizens For Sara Feigenholtz	Committee	$2,500
ISDF Oak Park	Committee	$2,500
West Suburban Teachers Union Local 571 COPE Fund Westmont	Committee	$2,500
Raja for Congress Park Ridge	Committee	$1,001
Junaid Ahmed CEO · Meridian Technology Solutions · Oak Brook	Person	$1,000
Houlihan Campaign Fund Springfield	Committee	$1,000
Angela Schnepf Executive · LeadingAge Illinois · Elk Grove Village	Person	$515
Samih Ahmed Addison	Person	$500

Committee: Vote for Nowak (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 2022 state candidates.

Donor	To them	Candidates funded
Democratic Party of Illinois Party or caucus committee · Chicago	$77,071	73
Citizens for Linda Holmes Candidate or officeholder committee · Aurora	$6,000	3
I.P.A.C.E. Group or PAC · Springfield	$5,000	74
Citizens for Castro Candidate or officeholder committee · Elgin	$5,000	14
Bennett for Senate Candidate or officeholder committee · Champaign	$5,000	2
ISDF Business · Oak Park	$2,500	20
Citizens for Sara Feigenholtz Candidate or officeholder committee	$2,500	7
West Suburban Teachers Union Local 571 COPE Fund Labor union · Westmont	$2,500	12
Raja For Congress Candidate or officeholder committee · Park Ridge	$1,001	2
Houlihan Campaign Fund Group or PAC · Springfield	$1,000	13
Junaid Ahmed CEO, Meridian Technology Solutions · Oak Brook	$1,000	2
Angela Schnepf President & CEO, Leading Age Illinois · Elk Grove Village	$515	2
Friends of Michelle Mussman Candidate or officeholder committee · Schaumburg	$500	9
Friends of Diane Pappas Candidate or officeholder committee · Itasca	$500	3
Samih Ahmed Addison	$500	2