With a little more than 40 days before a historic revamp of Illinois’ congressional delegation begins to take shape with the March 17 primary, candidates for five open congressional seats began separating themselves from competitors by raising millions of dollars for their campaign funds. Related Articles Top candidates for the US House in Illinois’ 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th and 9th districts for the 2026 election The five heavily blue congressional districts that span from Algonquin through parts of Chicago and down to Danville have nearly four dozen Democrats competing to replace three retiring members of Congress and two who are running for the U.S. Senate. In the highly competitive 9th Congressional District, where 15 Democrats are vying to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky representing parts of Chicago’s North Side as well as north and northwest suburbs, two candidates began 2026 with more than $1 million in their political bank accounts, and four others had at least $500,000 ready to spend in the closing weeks of the campaign. The nearby, northwest suburban 8th Congressional District features eight Democrats running to replace incumbent U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who is seeking to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. A former member of Congress was the fundraising leader in that race, followed by an entrepreneur, a progressive who ran against Krishnamoorthi four years ago and a member of the Cook County Board. In the 7th Congressional District, which runs from downtown Chicago west to suburban Hillside, 13 Democrats are fighting it out to replace U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, who is retiring as the longest-serving current member of Illinois’ congressional delegation. Nearby, the 4th Congressional District race, which runs from Chicago to the west suburbs, does not have a competitive primary to replace the retiring U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García. But in the 2nd Congressional District that runs from Chicago’s Far South Side to Danville, as U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly takes on Krishnamoorthi for the Senate, 10 Democrats have together raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fill her seat. A dozen Republicans are also running for the five seats but have raised less cash so far. At the same time, a divide within the Democratic Party has begun to show as a handful of candidates have called out their competitors for seemingly receiving much of their support from people who have also supported Republicans or outside groups — in particular, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, as progressives increasingly reject that organization following Israel’s actions during the war in Gaza. Here’s a look at the fundraising picture across Chicagoland so far. 9th Congressional District In one of the most competitive and highest-fundraising races in Illinois, state Sen. Laura Fine of Glenview saw a surge in contributions in the final three months of 2025 as she raised nearly $1.3 million and had $1.4 million on hand in her bid to succeed Schakowsky. But she wasn’t alone in reporting a million-dollar-plus war chest in the race. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who received Schakowsky’s endorsement shortly after the end of the reporting period, also had nearly $1.4 million on hand after raising about $659,000 in the final quarter of 2025. Progressive political commentator Kat Abughazaleh of Chicago both raised big — nearly $1.2 million — and spent big, with $810,000 on hand. Former FBI agent Phil Andrew raised about $485,000, including a $200,000 loan from himself, and had $961,000 to start 2026. State Rep. Hoan Huynh of Chicago also boosted his campaign with a $200,000 loan and had about $738,000 on hand, while Gen Z Skokie school board member Bushra Amiwala had about half a million dollars in the bank at the end of the year. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, a candidate for the Illinois 9th district, speaks during a public forum at Warren Park in Chicago on Jan. 15, 2026. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune) In recent months, Fine has seemingly received the tacit support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and many of its previous donors, though she has denied seeking the group’s endorsement. State Sen. Mike Simmons of Chicago, who had about $135,000 at the end of the quarter, criticized Fine this week for receiving significant backing from people who had also supported President Donald Trump or AIPAC, which advocates for Israel’s interests and supports both Democrats and Republicans. “If people who donate to AIPAC are donating to me, it’s because of the fact that they appreciate what I have done and my accomplishments, and they have faith in my candidacy, but I’m pretty darn independent,” Fine said Monday. Abughazaleh chalked up her spending in part to large initial advertising buys, adding she’s “not trying to save up a war chest for another campaign.” Economist Jeff Cohen had more than half a million dollars in the bank and Army veteran Sam Polan had about $139,000, though the majority of each of their contributions throughout the election cycle had come in the form of loans to themselves. Congressional candidate Katherine “Kat” Abughazaleh speaks with supporters after a hearing for indicted Broadview immigration protesters on Nov. 12, 2025, at Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) 8th Congressional District In the 8th Congressional District race, Melissa Bean, who held the office for three terms until 2011, led all candidates with about $1 million on hand to begin 2026, including a nearly $300,00 loan to her campaign. Following her were Junaid Ahmed, who previously challenged Krishnamoorthi, with about $835,000 in his campaign fund, entrepreneur Neil Khot with $573,000, and U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate Dan Tully with $412,000. Cook County Board Commissioner Kevin Morrison had roughly $233,000 while Hanover Park Trustee Yasmeen Bankole had $171,000 in his campaign fund. Everyone else had less than $100,000. Khot loaned his campaign $405,000 in the most recent quarter in addition to an even larger loan in the previous quarter, and Bankole loaned herself $136,000 at that time. Among Republicans, entrepreneur Jennifer Davis led in cash on hand with almost $488,000, trailed by energy business founder Mark Rice with $173,000. 2nd Congressional District Cook County Board Commissioner Donna Miller pulled ahead in the 2nd District’s fundraising race this quarter, raising more than $1 million and keeping nearly that much on hand in the district stretching from the South Side to downstate Danville. State Sen. Robert Peters of Chicago was the second-highest fundraiser with $263,000 in the bank. Jesse Jackson Jr., the former representative for the district who’s trying to launch a comeback after resigning years ago amid a corruption probe, raised $111,000 and had about $90,000 in the bank. State Sen. Willie Preston of Chicago and Matteson Village Clerk and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board Commissioner Yumeka Brown each raised five-figure sums last quarter. Echoing criticisms among candidates in the 9th District, Peters’ campaign called out Miller in a news release Monday for receiving support from donors who had previously given to Trump or to AIPAC and its affiliated super PAC. 7th District In the 7th Congressional District, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, who has served in the Illinois House for nearly 20 years and is being endorsed by outgoing incumbent Davis, raised nearly $150,600 in the final three months of 2025 and had more than $307,000 on-hand to start the year. Ford took out a $100,000 personal loan last quarter for his campaign. The fundraising front-runner is a repeat from last quarter. Jason Friedman, former president of the property and management company Friedman Properties, leads the contenders in money raised, with $304,000 raised in the fourth quarter. The political outsider candidate has a little over $1 million in his campaign account. The top Democratic candidates for Illinois' 7th Congressional District are, clockwise from top left, Anthony Driver, Jason Friedman, State Rep. La Shawn Ford, City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Dr. Thomas Fisher, Kina Collins, Richard Boykin, Reed Showalter and Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, center. Others on the ballot include Democrats David Ehrlich, Anabel Mendoza, Jazmin Robinson, and Felix Tello, as well as Republicans Chad Koppie and Patricia “P Rae” Easley. (Brian Cassella, Antonio Perez and E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune) Richard Boykin, a Democratic candidate for the Illinois' 7th Congressional District, speaks on Jan. 29, 2026, to the Tribune Editorial Board. Boykin, who is a former Cook County Commissioner and was the chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, is now running for his ex-boss’s seat. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)State Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Democratic candidate for the Illinois' 7th Congressional District, speaks on Jan. 29, 2026, to the Tribune Editorial Board. Ford got an early boost in the race when U.S. Rep. Danny Davis endorsed him while announcing the congressman’s own retirement. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)Melissa Conyears-Ervin , a candidate for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, speaks at a candidates forum organized by the west side NAACP at Collins Academy STEAM High School on Jan. 27, 2026, in Chicago. A lifelong resident of the district, Conyears-Ervin was first elected city treasurer in 2019 and won a second term in 2023 after previously serving in the Illinois House. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)Dr. Thomas Fisher, a candidate for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, speaks in a candidates forum organized by the west side NAACP on Jan. 27, 2026, in Chicago. An emergency physician at the University of Chicago and an author, Fisher said he entered the 7th District race to address differences in life expectancy between the wealthiest and poorest parts of the congressional district. Fisher also served as a White House Fellow in the Department of Health and Human Services during President Barack Obama’s administration, working on reducing racial and ethnic health disparities. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)Rory Hoskins, a Democratic candidate for the Illinois' 7th Congressional District, speaks on Jan. 29, 2026, to the Tribune editorial board. The two-term mayor of Forest Park, Hoskins, leads a near-west suburb that lies entirely within the 7th Congressional District. He was previously a village commissioner. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)Kina Collins, a candidate for the 7th district, speaks at a press conference at Federal Plaza on Jan. 15, 2026. The Austin neighborhood native finished third two years ago after losing to U.S. Rep. Danny Davis by just 6 percentage points in the 2022 primary. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)Antimonopoly attorney Reed Showalter, a candidate from Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, speaks during a forum organized by the west side NAACP on Jan. 27, 2026, in Chicago. Showalter previously worked at the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice and as a policy advisor in the White House National Economic Council during President Joe Biden’s administration. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)Business owner Jason Friedman, a Democratic candidate for the Illinois' 7th Congressional District, speaks on Jan. 29, 2026, to the Tribune editorial board. Friedman, who has never held public office, is the former president of Friedman Properties. The company, founded by his father, Albert, is a major Chicago development firm that has built properties in the River North neighborhood, which is part of the 7th Congressional District. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)Anthony Driver, a Democratic candidate for the Illinois' 7th Congressional District, speaks on Jan. 29, 2026, to the Tribune editorial board. A union leader and political strategist, Driver, until recently, was president of Chicago’s Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. He took a step back to become a commissioner on the board after announcing his candidacy. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)Anabel Mendoza, a candidate for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, speaks at Collins Academy STEAM High School on Jan. 27, 2026, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)Jazmin Robinson, a Democratic candidate for the Illinois' 7th Congressional District, speaks on Jan. 29, 2026, to the Tribune editorial board. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)Candidates for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District Feliz Tello, from left, Chad Koppie and Rory Hoskins participate in a candidates forum sponsored by the westside NAACP on Jan. 27, 2026, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)Felix Tello, a Democratic candidate for the Illinois' 7th Congressional District, speaks on Jan. 29, 2026, to the Tribune editorial board. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)Patricia “P Rae” Easley, a candidate for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, speaks during a candidates forum organized by the westside NAACP on Jan. 27, 2026, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)David Ehrlich, a Democratic candidate for the Illinois' 7th Congressional District, speaks on Jan. 29, 2026, to the Tribune editorial board. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)Show Caption1 of 16The top Democratic candidates for Illinois' 7th Congressional District are, clockwise from top left, Anthony Driver, Jason Friedman, State Rep. La Shawn Ford, City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Dr. Thomas Fisher, Kina Collins, Richard Boykin, Reed Showalter and Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, center. Others on the ballot include Democrats David Ehrlich, Anabel Mendoza, Jazmin Robinson, and Felix Tello, as well as Republicans Chad Koppie and Patricia “P Rae” Easley. (Brian Cassella, Antonio Perez and E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune) Expand Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, who finished runner-up to Davis in 2024, and former U.S. Department of Justice attorney Reed Showalter both raised six-figure amounts in the fourth quarter. Conyears-Ervin had more than $215,000 in cash on hand, while Showalter had $134,000 left in his campaign account. A University Medical Chicago Medical Center emergency medical doctor and author, Dr. Thomas Fisher, ended the fourth quarter with nearly $250,000 raised and $455,000 in his campaign bank account. Former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin raised nearly $200,000. Anabel Mendoza, a Gen Z progressive, quadrupled her fundraising from under $24,000 in the third quarter to nearly $120,000 in the fourth. Activist Kina Collins, who is making her fourth bid for the 7th District seat after losing the primary in 2022 by six percentage points to Davis, did not report her fundraising on time but in a phone interview, said her reports will be up within the next two days. 4th District Garcia’s controversial last-second retirement announcement paved the way for his chief of staff Patty Garcia to be the only Democrat on the primary ballot. Patty Garcia, no relation to the congressman, raised $122,500 last quarter. Though they won’t be challenging Patty Garcia on the primary ballot, independent Mayra Macías, Latino Victory Fund political director, outraised Patty Garcia at $125,000. Democratic Socialist Chicago Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez also announced his independent campaign last week. He reported raising $7,000 so far. ...read more read less