A look at Illinois' congressional candidates fundraising so far

With dozens of Illinois Democrats vying for four open congressional seats next year, at least a half-dozen candidates — including a former U.S. representative mounting a political comeback — have poured six-figure personal loans into their campaigns as they strive to stand out in crowded primary fields, new federal campaign finance filings show.

Former U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, a moderate Democrat who held Illinois’ largely northwest suburban 8th Congressional District seat for three terms before losing to a Republican in 2010 , joined the 2026 primary Sept. 10, less than three weeks before the latest fundraising deadline.

On Oct. 2, Bean’s campaign touted “over half a million dollars” raised in just over two weeks as a “sign of the growing momentum behind her campaign.” What the news