Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Republican Party raised just $5,000 from a single individual donation during the first three months of 2018, according to a filing with the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBE).

The House Republican Organization (HRO), run by Ilinois House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), raised just $250.

Durkin and Illinois GOP Chairman Tim Schneider, both close allies of Gov. Bruce Rauner, have foregone traditional fundraising efforts, instead relying on big checks written by the governor.

Gov. Bruce Rauner

Last fall, Prairie State Wire compared Durkin's fundraising to former House GOP Lee Daniels, who raised seven times as much from nine times as many donors. 

But Daniels had no choice but to be self-sufficient, as he didn't have Rauner.

The Illinois GOP's single donation was real estate developer and property manager Harry Langer of Northfield, a prolific contributor to Republicans and Democrats.

Langer gave Citizens for Rauner $100,000 during the governor's first campaign. He's also given more than $40,000 to former Democrat Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, $45,000 to former state attorney general and Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan, $25,000 to former Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, and $5,000 to former Democrat Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

HRO's only individual donor was Joyce Nardulli of Springfield, most recently a contract lobbyist with James A. Deleo & Associates of Chicago. 

DeLeo, a former Democrat state senator, served in Springfield from 1992-2010.

Nardulli formerly lobbied for the Illinois State Medical Society and Illinois Bankers Association.

She has a history of donating to Democrats and Republicans, including former Democrat gubernatorial candidate John Schmidt, State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) and State Sen. Pamela Althoff (R-Crystal Lake). 

She has also donated to Personal PAC, the political arm of Planned Parenthood, which backed Rauner's expansion of state taxpayer funding of abortions last year.

ISBE records show Nardulli has voted in six Democrat primaries and five Republican ones.