A tale of two senators: Duckworth outraised and outspent Durbin in year’s second quarter

Illinois’ junior senator, Hoffman Estates Democrat Tammy Duckworth, significantly outraised senior U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in the year’s second quarter, new federal records show.

Duckworth, who won election to her second 6-year term in November, received about $568,764 in campaign donations from April 1 to June 30.

Durbin – a Springfield Democrat who won his fifth term in 2020 – collected about $114,570.

Duckworth’s campaign also outspent Durbin’s during the three-month period.

Federal Election Commission reports covering the quarter’s campaign transactions are viewable at fec.gov.

The Tammy for Illinois committee started the period with more than $1.5 million in the bank. It subsequently received nearly $422,341 in donations from individuals and $35,300 from political action committees, including:

• $10,000 from a labor union called American Maritime Officers.
• $8,500 from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
• $6,000 from the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists.
• $2,500 from Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.

The Duckworth campaign also reported receiving $90,500 through a separate group called the Duckworth Victory Fund.

Duckworth, 55, and her campaign team spent more than $383,762 during the quarter, most of it on operational expenses such as digital advertisement production, travel and office supplies, records show.

The campaign ended the quarter with more than $1.7 million saved and no debts.

A Duckworth campaign spokesman couldn’t be reached.

The Friends of Dick Durbin Committee started the quarter with more than $1.5 million. It went on to collect about $54,409 from individuals and $13,000 from just four political action committees. Those donations were:

• $5,000 from Applied Research Associates.
• $2,500 from Archer-Daniels-Midland.
• $5,000 from Carpenters Legislative Improvement Committee.
• $500 from Invenergy.

The Durbin campaign also reported receiving $46,500 from other committees, including $41,000 from a separate group called the Durbin Victory Fund.

Durbin’s campaign committee spent nearly $81,463 during the period, mostly on operating expenses such as digital consulting services, supplies and cellphone service, records show. It ended the quarter with about $1.6 million saved.

Durbin spokeswoman Emily Hampsten said “it’s far too early” to speculate about whether Durbin, 78, will run again in 2026.

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