The money driving Harvey’s mayoral race

This report was fact-checked by Olivia Stovicek. Olivia’s experience as an editor and fact-checker includes serving as a senior editor at South Side Weekly and as a team leader for City Bureau’s Civic Reporting Fellowship in 2021.

We dug through the candidates’ finances on file with the state so you don’t have to.

The Illinois State Board of Elections requires financial disclosures once the contributions a candidate has accepted or the amount they have spent—or the amount accepted or spent on their behalf—reaches $5,000.

Within ten business days of reaching that threshold (or within two business days if it’s in the 30 days before an election), persons must file a statement of organization.

Quarterly reports are not required if total contributions and expenditures fall below that threshold. However, candidates are still able to submit disclosures for anything below the $5,000 threshold.

Once a political committee’s information is on file with the ISBE, they’re required to submit quarterly reports—regardless of whether they’ve ever reached the $5,000 threshold or not.

The next deadline to submit a quarterly report is April 15, 2023.

Here’s a deep-dive into the money driving the 2023 mayoral race.

Key takeaways

Clark leads in cash

Mayor Chris Clark has the most cash on hand in his war chest, followed by Anthony McCaskill, according to data from Reform for Illinois’ Sunshine Database, which tracks campaign finance across Illinois. Looking to a second term, Clark’s campaign is funded by a confluence of individual donors, Chicago-area businesses, and Harvey and south suburban dignitaries.

But weeks before the election, the Clark campaign sought the help of a San Francisco-based polling company to assist with public opinion and political strategy efforts, based on state records.

And, notably, interim Harvey Police Chief Cameron Biddings, who Clark personally brought into the department from nearby Dolton, has donated nearly $500 to Clark’s reelection bid. Chicago-based attorney and failed state senator hopeful Bob Fioretti, who was hired to help the city restructure its debt—along with his law firm— donated $1000 to Clark in 2021.

The single largest donation

Alderman Marshun Tolbert (2nd), who has the least in cash on hand and has trailed his competitors in raising funds, recently received a $30,000 jolt from the SEIU Illinois Council PAC. While he trails McCaskill and Clark in funds raised, SEIU’s donation marks the single greatest contribution any candidate has received.

The labor union is known for throwing its hat behind more progressive candidates, recently Brandon Johnson and Jeanette Taylor in Chicago. Tolbert supported SEIU Healthcare’s efforts for a better contract at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in fall of 2021.

Businesses rally around McCaskill

McCaskill’s campaign is deeply supported by small businesses—few, if any, individual donors. However, he’s also betting on himself. Of all the mayoral candidates, McCaskill’s pumped more of his own funding into his campaign.

He’s contributed $20,000 through the Friends of Anthony L McCaskill Inc committee.

Clark has only dropped $11,600 of his own funding into his campaign. Tolbert has only pumped $1,450 since the 2019 general election where he clinched his aldermanic seat, according to the RFISD.

Current campaign dollars

Mayor Chris Clark

Funds available coming into Oct. 1, 2022

$100,296.20

Total raised between Oct. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022

$21,225.00

Total spent period between Oct. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022

$23,343.77

Cash on hand as of Dec. 31, 2022

$98,177.43

Total raised since January 1, 2023

$119,672.44

Total cash on hand (as reflected in required reporting, so far)

$217,849.87

Harvey Public Library Board trustee Anthony McCaskill

Funds available coming into Oct. 1, 2022

$45,381.00

Total raised between Oct. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022

$60,000.00

Total spent between Oct. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022

$30,675.00

Cash on hand as of Dec. 31, 2022

$74,706.00

Total raised since January 1, 2023

$97,175.00

Total cash on hand (as reflected in required reporting, so far)

$171,881.00

Alderman Marshun Tolbert (2nd)

Funds available coming into Oct. 1, 2022

$ 10,770.52

Total raised between Oct. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022

$10,990.00

Total spent between Oct. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022

$18,256.71

Cash on hand as of Dec. 31, 2022

$3,503.81

Total raised since January 1, 2023

$70,650.00

Total cash on hand (as reflected in required reporting, so far)

$74,153.81

Note: Campaign finance records from Oct. 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022; Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, Reform for Illinois’ Sunshine Database

Support from local & state dignitaries

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch

Since November of 2021, the speaker has donated nearly $57,000 to Clark’s reelection bid. Of that, over $5,000 was used to cover staff salaries and payroll, presumably for campaign workers.

The second largest lump sum that Welch contributed—$16,000—given less than a month before the general election, was to cover costs associated with polling research, conducted by San Francisco-based Tulchin Research. The company assists with public opinion research to assist with “strategy efforts,” according to its website.

Tulchin lists prior clientele on its website, which includes Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, United States Senator Bernie Sanders, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly

Kelly formally endorsed Clark in 2019 and in 2023. However, she has not donated to his 2023 campaign efforts, according to state records. In March of 2019, the Robin for Leadership political committee donated $500 to Clark’s election bid.

Illinois State Senator Napoleon B. Harris III (15th)

At the March 12 Harvey mayoral forum, Harris expressed frustration after only McCaskill showed up to the event, hosted by Harris and the Democrats of Thornton Township.

“There have been many forums for many different races across this state and this country,” Harris said. “I think it’s a disservice when people say they want to be public servants and they don’t show up for events which they said they were going to.”

Harris, who also serves as the Democrats of Thornton Township committeeman, formally endorsed McCaskill. McCaskill’s campaign has not reported any donations from Harris.

However, days after the forum, Friends of Anthony McCaskill donated $5,000 to the Democrats of Thornton Township. McCaskill has donated $5,520 to the DOTT since late August 2022.

Illinois State Representative Will Davis (30th)

Davis, who is Tolbert’s uncle, has not reported donations to his nephew’s mayoral bid or endorsed him. Davis has instead formally endorsed Clark.

Illinois State Representative Thaddeus Jones (29th)

Jones has formally endorsed Clark.

Former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White

White formally endorsed McCaskill.