Spending, Attacks Ramp Up in Competitive House Races
Reps. Jessica Dixon Heitman (D-Plainfield), Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills), Amy Murri Briel (D-Ottawa), and Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva).
With less than six weeks to go before Election Day, House races across the state are picking up steam with mail, digital ads, and attacks flying.
Here’s a rundown of what’s happening in some major races:
House District 47- OPEN (Grant)
There are more than a few Republicans who tell us they believe the seat being vacated by Rep. Amy Grant (R-Wheaton) is all but lost to Democrats and Wheaton City Council member Erica Bray-Parker. Bray-Parker has had digital ads running in the district and at least one mail piece, we’re told. Republican sources say digital ads will be going up for Republican candidate Rob Vrankovich.
House District 52- Rep. Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills)
McLaughlin, who won his race over Democrat Maria Peterson by 47 votes two years ago without the help of the help of House Republicans is back on the caucus program in 2026, and GOP leaders are optimistic he can hold on to his seat. House Republicans are reportedly up with digital ads for McLaughlin. Peterson is back again this fall. Sources say Peterson has been running positive digital ads, but we haven’t found them yet (House Dems did disclose paying for ad production, so they’re probably out there somewhere.) Neither side appears to have hit mailboxes yet. House Democrats have a staffer in the district for Peterson, but haven’t spent exorbitantly for her at this point.
House District 76- Rep. Amy Murri Briel (D-Ottawa)
Some allegations from a former staffer against Briel and a potentially swingy district have Republicans confident they can flip this seat. Briel defeated Republican Liz Bishop by around 500 votes in 2024. House Democrats are going hard for Briel, including digital, mail, and with bodies on the ground. The Democrat playbook in this race, and most others so far, has been to tie Bishop to Donald Trump, who lost the district handily two years ago. Republicans have been running digital for weeks and have sent mail in the district. It’s clear the GOP sees this as their best pickup opportunity in November.
“It’s a frickin’ dogfight,” texted one insider about the race.
House District 65- Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva)
Democrats appear to believe Ugaste’s district is trending their way, so they’ve begun hitting Ugaste pretty hard in mail and digital. The digital ad looks as if it is from a congressional race and not a state legislative race. Dems haven’t hit Ugaste in mailboxes for a couple of weeks, though, so they may not be fully invested. Ugaste is dropping mail and running digital ads.
House District 97- Rep. Jessica Dixon Heitman (D-Plainfield)
Republicans had a big target on former Rep. Harry Benton in this race, but after his resignation, they privately concede defeating the telegenic granddaughter of former U.S. Senator Alan Dixon is a tough road to hoe. They’re still heavily invested in the race, though, attacking Dixon Heitman in digital and mail. Democrats are tying Shanahan to Trump and, somehow, notorious sex trafficker Jeffery Epstein. This one is going to get bloody by November, it seems.
House District 104- Rep. Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville)
Sources had said, until recently, that House Democrats weren’t doing a lot with Mary Catherine Roberson, but they’ve come out swinging against Schweizer in mail and with positive digital for Roberson. Republicans are running positive mail and digital for Schweizer and hitting Roberson. Schweizer won the district by 269 votes two years ago.
Democrats have hit Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro (R-Hanover Park) on digital, but haven’t done a ton in the race. Republicans are putting some resources into Rep. Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt), but it doesn’t appear Democrats have done much in that district yet.
Neither the House Republican or House Democratic campaign arms commented on the record about any of their strategies.
House Democrats appear to be spending in places Republicans aren’t, including for appointed Reps. Justin Cochran (D-Des Plaines) (digital, polling, staff) and Margaret DeLaRosa (D-Glen Ellyn) (digital, staff). They’re also spending for Rep. Marti Deuter (D-Elmhurst) (digital, staff), Rep. Matt Hanson (D-Montgomery) (digital, staff), Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia) (digital, staff), Rep. Suzanne Ness (D-Crystal Lake) (digital), Rep. Anne Stava (D-Downers Grove) (digital, staff), Rep. Dave Vella (D-Rockford) (digital, staff), and Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville) (digital, staff). Democrats are also spending for Jenny Levin of Palatine, the Democratic nominee in the northwest suburban 51st District through digital, polling and staff. Republicans are running digital ads for Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore).
