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Margaret Croke D

Incumbent, Democratic candidate for State Representative District 12

June 28, 2022 primary: won with 12,360 votes (100%) · November 8, 2022 general: won with 31,332 votes (100%)

Also ran for State Representative in 2024 ($625,695 raised).

Worth a look

Worth a look Contribution limits

1 source gave more than the contribution limit ($2,500 over in all)

A candidate's committee may accept only so much from one source in an election cycle: in 2025–26, $7,300 from an individual, $14,600 from a corporation, union or association, and $72,800 from a PAC or another candidate's committee. The most over: Drew Beres gave $8,500 in the primary cycle, against a limit of $6,000 for an individual.

What to check
  • Excess returned to the source (or given to charity) within 30 days of the Board's notice isn't a violation; a refund the committee listed under another name or purpose isn't subtracted here.
  • Two different people with the same name and ZIP code would be added together.
  • Spouses are separate sources, as are a business and the person who owns it.
  • Whether a corporation's or union's own PAC gave instead (the PAC limit applies to it).
The entries (1)
NameKindCycleContributionsGivenLimitOver
Drew Beresan individualprimary3$8,500$6,000$2,500
Rule: Contributions over the limit
“During an election cycle, a candidate political committee may not accept contributions with an aggregate value over the following: (i) $5,000 from any individual, (ii) $10,000 from any corporation, labor organization, or association, or (iii) $50,000 from a candidate political committee or political action committee.”10 ILCS 5/9-8.5(b) (adjusted for inflation each odd year, 9-8.5(g)) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Worth a look Late reports

4 large contributions ($7,000) 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: $2,500 from Alex Chizhik, received 2021-04-01, reported 2021-04-25: 16 business days, 11 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)
NameDateA-1 filedBusiness daysAllowedAmount
Alex Chizhik2021-04-012021-04-25165$2,500
Michael Fassnacht2021-04-012021-04-25165$2,500
Susan Berghoef2021-04-012021-04-25165$1,000
Burling Bank2021-04-012021-04-25165$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

$461,920raised, 469 itemized contributions, plus $12,854 in small ones
$845from the candidate (incl. loans)
$375,768spent
$64,760cash on hand on December 31, 2022; $40,500 in debts
Where their money comes from (besides their own)

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

Plus $845 of their own money and from their other committees. Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $375,768

Consultants and field$113,437
Mail and literature$71,067
Office, printing and supplies$55,786
Other (as described)$49,867
Donations and sponsorships$25,313
Contributions to other committees$21,694
Travel and meals$12,972
Fundraising and events$11,800
Digital and online$7,682
Staff pay$3,500

Largest payees: Wildfire Mail $71,067 Mail and literature · New Chicago LLC $66,287 Consultants and field · C-Strategies $40,010 Consultants and field · St George Apartments $25,110 Office, printing and supplies · Patrick Croke $13,000 Other (as described) · Lincoln Park Zoo $12,450 Donations and sponsorships · Wrigleyville Rooftops $10,800 Fundraising and events · Margaret Noble Croke $9,500 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 contributorsTypeTotal
JB for Governor
Chicago
Committee$55,000
Democratic Party of Illinois
Chicago
Business or group$40,432.88
Chicagoland Operators Joint Labor Management PAC
Countryside
Committee$24,500
Illinois Realtors PAC
Springfield
Committee$12,500
Uber Technologies, Inc.
San Francisco
Business or group$12,000
Drew Beres
Founding Partner · Croke Fairchild Morgan & Beres · Chicago
Person$11,000
Friends of Eva Dina Delgado
Chicago
Business or group$8,052
Friends for Eva Dina Delgado
Chicago
Business or group$7,026.50
Michael Fassnacht
Founder and Partner · Black Forest Chicago · Chicago
Person$6,500
MK Pritzker
not employed · not employed · Chicago
Person$5,800
Associated Beer Distributors of IL PAC
Springfield
Committee$5,500
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association PAC
Springfield
Committee$4,500
LIUNA Chicago Laborers' District Council PAC
Burr Ridge
Committee$4,000
John Atkinson
Executive · Willis · Burr Ridge
Person$3,750
Aviva Futorian
not employed · not employed · Chicago
Person$3,750

Committee: Croke For Illinois (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.

DonorTo themCandidates fundedBy party
JB for Governor
Candidate or officeholder committee · Chicago
$55,00018
Democratic Party of Illinois
Party or caucus committee · Chicago
$40,43373
Chicagoland Operators Joint Labor Management PAC
Labor union · Countryside
$24,50026
Illinois Realtors Political Action Committee
Group or PAC · Springfield
$12,5003
Drew Beres
Founding Partner, Croke Fairchild Morgan & Beres · Chicago
$11,0002
Friends for Eva Dina Delgado
Business · Chicago
$7,0272
Michael Fassnacht
CEO & President, World Business Chicago · Chicago
$6,5002
Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois PAC
Group or PAC · Springfield
$5,50097
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association PAC
Group or PAC · Springfield
$4,500105
Comcast
Business · Philadelphia
$4,00050
LIUNA Chicago Laborers' District Council PAC
Labor union · Burr Ridge
$4,00091
John Atkinson
Executive, Marsh · Burr Ridge
$3,7505
Aviva Futorian
not employed, not employed · Chicago
$3,7504
IVCA PAC
Group or PAC · Chicago
$3,50021
J & J Ventures Gaming LLC
Business · Effingham
$3,500125