Joseph Berning's Second-Quarter Campaign Finance Disclosure
July 16, 2026 | F4F Election Coverage | Freeport, IL
As the November 2026 General Election approaches, Democratic State Senate candidate Joseph Berning has filed his second-quarter campaign finance disclosure with the Illinois State Board of Elections. The report covers financial activity between April 1 and June 30, 2026.
The filing reports $2,037.96 in total receipts, $4,696.64 in total expenditures, $7,172.12 in available campaign funds, and no outstanding campaign debt or obligations at the close of the reporting period.
Unlike some campaign committees, Berning's filing reports no investment activity, no political committee transfers, and no loans during the quarter.
The campaign also reported $300 in in-kind contributions, consisting of food donated for a fundraising event.
How Much Did the Campaign Raise?
During the second quarter, the campaign reported raising $2,037.96.
That total included:
$1,350.00 in itemized individual contributions.
$687.96 in non-itemized individual contributions.
The campaign reported:
No transfers from political committees or PACs.
No loans received.
No other receipts.
Largest Contributors
Repeated contributions from the same contributor have been combined.
Corey Kaiser — $250
Jenny Kaiser — $250
Alan Wenzel — $250
Sandra Heller — $200
Kitti Yount — $200
Dennis Siegel — $200(Two $100 contributions combined.)
The filing reflects contributions from supporters in Freeport, Stockton, Galena and Highland Park.
In-Kind Contribution
The campaign reported one in-kind contribution during the reporting period.
Rich Hofmaster — $300
According to the filing, Hofmaster donated food for a campaign fundraising event. Unlike a cash contribution, an in-kind contribution provides goods or services rather than money and must still be disclosed under Illinois campaign finance law.
How Much Did the Campaign Spend?
The committee reported $4,696.64 in expenditures during the second quarter.
Unlike the Chesney committee, Berning's filing contains no investment transactions, meaning the reported expenditures represent campaign spending.
Largest Recipients of Campaign Funds
Repeated payments have been combined to reflect the total amount paid during the reporting period.
Belstar Media — $2,070.00
The campaign paid Belstar Media for website development and website design.
Minuteman Press — $1,691.84
The campaign made six payments for brochures, palm cards, yard signs, signs and postage.
Curtis McCarthy — $600.00
The filing reports three payments for campaign staff.
ClickCraft Studios — $200.00
The payment was reported for website services.
Where Campaign Dollars Were Spent
The largest areas of spending reported during the quarter included:
Website development and design.
Campaign literature.
Yard signs and campaign signs.
Postage.
Campaign staff.
The filing does not report expenditures for television, radio, digital advertising, consulting services, political committee contributions or investment activity during the reporting period.
Committee Assets
The campaign began the reporting period with $9,830.80 in available funds.
At the close of the quarter, the committee reported:
Cash on Hand: $7,172.12
Investment Assets: $0.00
Outstanding Debt: $0.00
The filing shows the campaign spent more than it raised during the quarter, reducing available funds by approximately $2,658.68.
The Second-Quarter Picture
During the second quarter, Joseph Berning's campaign reported raising $2,037.96, spending $4,696.64, receiving $300 in donated goods for a fundraising event, and ending the reporting period with $7,172.12 in available campaign funds and no reported debt or investment assets.
As the Democratic challenger seeks to unseat incumbent Republican Andrew Chesney in Illinois' 45th Senate District, the second-quarter filing provides a snapshot of the campaign's financial activity entering the final months before the November General Election.