Follow the links below to view the candidates' career patrons.
| Pat Quinn's Career Patrons | Governor |
| Bill Brady's Career Patrons | Governor |
| Lisa Madigan's Career Patrons | Attorney General |
| Alexi Giannoulias' Career Patrons | Treasurer |
| Jesse White's Career Patrons | Secretary of State |
| Dan Hynes' Career Patrons | Comptroller |
| John Cullerton's Career Patrons | Senate President |
| Michael Madigan's Career Patrons | Speaker of the House |
| Christine Radogno's Career Patrons | Senate Minority Leader |
| Tom Cross' Career Patrons | House Minority Leader |
View our full listing of patrons on our Patron Wiki.
WHO ARE THE CAREER PATRONS?
These are the people, the political action committees, the corporations and the labor unions that have given the largest amounts of money to support the political careers of our state's top elected officials. Most are well-known names with significant legislative agendas in the State Capitol. A few may be family friends with limited contacts in state government.
WHY SHOULD ANYONE CARE ABOUT THE CAREER PATRONS? IT'S ALL LEGAL, RIGHT?
Campaigns today are expensive, and candidates spend a lot of time soliciting contributions. It is important for voters to know the sources of all that cash. The most generous contributors have easy access to the candidates and eventually to officeholders. If you ever wondered who gets their phone calls returned, just look at the names on the career patrons list. Their calls are answered
ARE YOU CHARGING THAT THE PATRONS ARE BUYING VOTES OR FAVORS?
Not at all. We're simply saying it is important to know whom candidates go to time and again for campaign contributions. These are not nickel-and-dime supporters. These are major donors.
IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM? SHOULD PEOPLE AND GROUPS BE PROHIBITED FROM GIVING THESE AMOUNTS OF MONEY?
Yes, there's a lot that's wrong with the campaign finance system in Illinois. We could restore some integrity to our election system by prohibiting contributions from corporations and labor unions - a practice already banned in many other states and in elections for Congress and the White House. Second, there ought to be reasonable limits on all other contributions.
WHERE WOULD YOU SET THE LIMIT ON CONTRIBUTIONS?
It's open to debate. In 1997, a Blue Ribbon task force (Illinois Campaign Finance Task Force) recommended limits of $2,000 for a primary and $2,000 for a general election. Kent Redfield - in his recent book Money Counts - suggested a limit of $2,500 for a primary election and $2,500 for the general election. Those are reasonable limitations.
