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Mike Thoms R

Republican candidate for State Senator District 36

June 28, 2022 primary: won with 7,862 votes (67.8%) · November 8, 2022 general: lost with 31,932 votes (100%)

Worth a look

Context Contribution limits

1 source gave more than the contribution limit ($400 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: Diane Oberhelman gave $6,400 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
Diane Oberhelmanan individualprimary2$6,400$6,000$400
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

Context Late reports

1 quarterly report filed late (up to 3 days)

Quarterly reports are due by the 15th of the month after each quarter. The report for the quarter ending 2022-03-31 was due 2022-04-15 and filed 2022-04-18.

What to check
  • A paper report postmarked 3 days before the deadline is on time; the Board records when it arrived.
  • The Board assesses fines for late reports and may waive them.
The entries (1)
Quarter endingDueFiledDays late
2022-03-312022-04-152022-04-183
Rule: Quarterly reports filed late
“A political committee shall file quarterly reports no later than the 15th day of the month following each period.”10 ILCS 5/9-10(b) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Context Context

71% of their itemized money came from party and caucus committees

$917,594.89 of $1,286,274.54 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

$1,286,275raised, 386 itemized contributions, plus $16,791 in small ones
$32,600from the candidate (incl. loans)
$1,068,585spent
$4,068cash on hand on December 31, 2022; $15,600 in debts
Where their money comes from (besides their own)

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

Plus $5,000 of their own money and from their other committees. Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $1,068,585

Other (as described)$819,284
Consultants and field$154,065
Contributions to other committees$59,500
Office, printing and supplies$14,943
Mail and literature$8,003
Postage and delivery$4,731
Legal, accounting and fees$3,433
Fundraising and events$2,560
Digital and online$2,065

Largest payees: People Who Think LLC $645,807 Other (as described) · Gateway Media $142,271 Digital and online · Claymore Strategic Solutions LLC $98,828 Office, printing and supplies · Senate Republican Victory Fund $38,500 Contributions to other committees · The Newberg Group $23,231 Postage and delivery · Claymore Strategic Solutions $22,500 Consultants and field · IL Republican Party $21,000 Contributions to other committees · SurusDH $17,605 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 contributorsTypeTotal
Senate Republican Victory Fund
Springfield
Committee$663,307
Illinois Republican Party
Chicago
Business or group$139,480.96
Senate Republican Victory Fund
Springfield
Business or group$113,306.93
Anderson for Illinois
Moline
Committee$23,500
Lahood for Congress
Peoria
Committee$22,500
McCombie for Illinois
Savanna
Committee$20,000
Jil Tracy for State Senate
Committee$15,750
Matt Stern
Owner · Stern Beverage · Rock Island
Person$12,000
DeWitte for Illinois Senate
Saint Charles
Committee$9,000
Stuart Thoms
Retired · Retired · Rock Island
Person$9,000
Christopher Ontiveros
Owner · Ray's Barbershop Corporation · Longboat Key
Person$8,000
Rock Island Firefighters Local 26 PAC
Rock Island
Committee$8,000
Committee to Elect Terri Bryant
Murphysboro
Committee$7,500
Diane Oberhelman
Cullinan Properties · Chairman & Founding Partner · Edwards
Person$6,400
Marion Calmer
CEO · Calmer Corn Heads · Alpha
Person$6,000

Committee: Thoms for Senate (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 Mike Thoms as an officer, manager or member of.

CompanyTheir roleStatusGave to the campaign
MSJSE GROUP, L.L.C.
LLC, since 2012 · file 03764214
managerGood standing · last annual report 2026—
THOMS FAMILY, L.L.C.
LLC, since 2003 · file 00920312
managerGood 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.

Their donors also gave to

Their largest donors who also funded other 2022 state candidates.

DonorTo themCandidates fundedBy party
Senate Republican Victory Fund
Party or caucus committee · Springfield
$776,61427
Illinois Republican Party
Party or caucus committee · Chicago
$139,48149
Anderson for Illinois
Candidate or officeholder committee · Moline
$23,50013
LaHood for Congress
Candidate or officeholder committee · Peoria
$22,50015
McCombie for Illinois
Candidate or officeholder committee · Savanna
$20,58221
Jil Tracy for State Senate
Candidate or officeholder committee
$15,75010
DeWitte for Illinois Senate
Candidate or officeholder committee · St. Charles
$9,00013
Committee to Elect Terri Bryant
Candidate or officeholder committee · Murphysboro
$7,50011
Diane Oberhelman
Executive, Cullinan Companies · Edwards
$6,4005
Friends of Sue Rezin
Candidate or officeholder committee · Morris
$6,00013
Marion Calmer
Farmer/Business Owner, Self-employed · Alpha
$6,0002
Darrell Reynolds
Retired, Retired · Moline
$5,0002
Brady for Senate Inc.
Candidate or officeholder committee · Bloomington
$5,0005
Joy PAC
Group or PAC · Athens
$4,0004
Riverstone Group Inc
Business · Davenport
$4,0003