Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has dropped a bombshell into his Senate bid by funneling a whopping $5 million to super PAC Illinois Future PAC in support of Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton's candidacy, effectively quashing critics who wondered if he'd back her financially.
The billionaire governor's contribution is the top donation to the super PAC, which has been at the center of controversy over its funding sources and potential ties to "dark money." However, a recent Federal Election Commission report revealed that Illinois Future PAC's contributions are transparent, not classified as "dark money."
According to the report, Illinois Future PAC had raised $6.3 million by the end of 2025, surpassing $10 million in total fundraising. Despite spending $2.2 million, the super PAC still has a substantial $4.03 million left.
Pritzker's cousin, Jennifer Pritzker, and her wife also contributed generously to Illinois Future PAC, chipping in an additional $1.1 million and $50,000 respectively.
The influx of cash will undoubtedly help Stratton boost her campaign, which currently lags behind U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly in the Senate race. With nearly $1.12 million in cash reserves at hand, Stratton is now better equipped to compete with her opponents through TV ads.
Krishnamoorthi has been aggressively airing ads touting his policy plans and personal story, leaving him with a commanding lead in the polls. The congressman's campaign fund stands at an impressive $15.2 million, compared to Kelly's nearly $1.6 million.
Pritzker's own campaign has also taken center stage, with his $25.5 million contribution helping secure his re-election bid. Additionally, Pritzker and first lady MK Pritzker contributed a whopping $5.6 million to the Democratic National Convention host committee last year, further solidifying their support for Stratton's campaign.
With Pritzker's financial backing now in place, it remains to be seen if Illinois Future PAC will prove decisive in boosting Stratton's chances or if other factors like policy debates and campaign performances will ultimately sway voters.
The billionaire governor's contribution is the top donation to the super PAC, which has been at the center of controversy over its funding sources and potential ties to "dark money." However, a recent Federal Election Commission report revealed that Illinois Future PAC's contributions are transparent, not classified as "dark money."
According to the report, Illinois Future PAC had raised $6.3 million by the end of 2025, surpassing $10 million in total fundraising. Despite spending $2.2 million, the super PAC still has a substantial $4.03 million left.
Pritzker's cousin, Jennifer Pritzker, and her wife also contributed generously to Illinois Future PAC, chipping in an additional $1.1 million and $50,000 respectively.
The influx of cash will undoubtedly help Stratton boost her campaign, which currently lags behind U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly in the Senate race. With nearly $1.12 million in cash reserves at hand, Stratton is now better equipped to compete with her opponents through TV ads.
Krishnamoorthi has been aggressively airing ads touting his policy plans and personal story, leaving him with a commanding lead in the polls. The congressman's campaign fund stands at an impressive $15.2 million, compared to Kelly's nearly $1.6 million.
Pritzker's own campaign has also taken center stage, with his $25.5 million contribution helping secure his re-election bid. Additionally, Pritzker and first lady MK Pritzker contributed a whopping $5.6 million to the Democratic National Convention host committee last year, further solidifying their support for Stratton's campaign.
With Pritzker's financial backing now in place, it remains to be seen if Illinois Future PAC will prove decisive in boosting Stratton's chances or if other factors like policy debates and campaign performances will ultimately sway voters.
. He's already got a pretty solid campaign fund himself, and now his wife is chipping in too... it just seems like he's playing catch-up with U.S. Rep. Krishnamoorthi 
. That being said, $5 million for Juliana Stratton is still a big help, especially if she can start putting up some solid ads on TV 
. We'll have to see how this all plays out, but it's definitely going to be an interesting Senate election season!
. I mean, what's the real motive here? Is it just about supporting Juliana Stratton or is there something more at play?
. Either way, I think it's safe to say that this development has shaken things up in the Senate race... but will it ultimately make a difference for Juliana Stratton?
. Meanwhile, the rest of us are just expected to take it on faith that this money won't come back to haunt her campaign in some way... like when she inevitably promises the world and delivers nothing but broken promises 
?
Dark money, schmark money... when will we get some actual clarity on how our politics work? 
like, does that make her more competitive in the polls? 
still gotta see how it all plays out 
but can julianna stratton really pull off this senate seat with all that financial backing? 
. And hey, it'll be fun to watch her take on those other candidates! 
. It'll definitely help Juliana Stratton stay competitive with those other reps in the Senate race. Pritzker's also got a solid game plan going on, what with his own re-election bid and all... it's not like he's just slapping together some half-baked strategy 