Show Us the Money
Democrat Willie Preston raised $146,130 for his bid to represent Illinois's 2nd Congressional District, federal records show. Nearly all of that money ($134,131) came from individual donors. Political committees chipped in $12,000. Preston started the cycle with no cash on hand. He spent $144,724, leaving just $1,407 in the bank as of March 31, 2026. He took no loans and carried no debt.
The $12,000 from political committees made up about 8% of Preston's total haul. No party money came in from the Democratic Party. The campaign also issued $650 in refunds to individual donors.
Candidate Rankings
Preston is running as an open-seat candidate; he is not an incumbent in a district that has drawn competitive interest in the Democratic primary. Among all candidates running for federal office in Illinois in the 2026 cycle, Preston's $146,131 in total receipts place him well outside the top tier. Illinois candidates combined have raised more than $357 million this cycle. Preston's share amounts to roughly 0.04% of that statewide total. The top fundraisers in the state have pulled in millions, dwarfing Preston's totals by a wide margin.
Incumbents vs. Challengers
Incumbents running in Illinois are generally far outpacing challengers and open-seat candidates like Preston in fundraising. Candidates without the advantages of incumbency have struggled to match the financial firepower of sitting members of Congress, a pattern seen across the state.
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Source: Federal Election Commission (FEC), data current as of March 31, 2026.
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