PaidForPolitics

PAC · IL · C00771113

Back the Bold

A traditional political action committee. It raises limited contributions and can give directly to candidates.

Treasurer: Christopher Koob. View on FEC.gov

  • Raised (2025-26)
    $2,758,252
  • Spent
    $3,337,527
  • Cash on hand
    $707,543
  • Outside spending
    $129,058

Raised, spent and cash on hand through reports covering Oct. 14, 2026. Outside spending from FEC filings through Oct. 30, 2026.

Donors and outside spending

Responsive Government Action$1.1MPeter Whitcomb$50KFirst State Bank$38KVoteVets$5KDonald Henley$3KBack the Bold$3KEveryone else$1.6MAgainst Gabe Evans (R)$46KAgainst Derrick Van Orden (R)$36KAgainst Scott Perry (R)$35KFor Terry Virts (D)$6KAgainst Ken Paxton (R)$4KAgainst Max Miller (R)$3KBack the Bold
  • Raised from its largest donors
  • Outside spending for
  • Outside spending against

Left: what the group raised, from reports through Oct. 14, 2026. Donors are ranked by what they gave among the group’s 100 largest contributions. “Everyone else” is the rest of what it raised; select it to see more donors. Right: its outside spending through Oct. 30, 2026, including 24- and 48-hour reports. The two sides come from different reports, so they don’t add up to each other.

Where its money went

  • Given: the group’s own contributions to the campaign
  • Bundled: donors’ contributions the group collected and forwarded
  • For: outside spending supporting
  • Against: outside spending opposing
  1. Gabe Evans (R)House · CO-08
    • Against$46K
  2. Derrick Van Orden (R)House · WI-03
    • Against$36K
  3. Scott Perry (R)House · PA-10
    • Against$35K
  4. Terry Virts (D)House · TX-09
    • For$6K
  5. Tom Malinowski (D)House · NJ-11
    • Given$5K
  6. Sam Polan (D)House · IL-09
    • Given$5K
  7. Terry Virts (D)Senate · TX
    • Given$5K
  8. Kyle Sweetser (D)Senate · AL
    • Given$5K
  9. Elaine Luria (D)House · VA-02
    • Given$5K
  10. Seth Bodnar (I)Senate · MT
    • Given$5K
  11. James Talarico (D)Senate · TX
    • Given$5K
  12. Janelle Stelson (D)House · PA-10
    • Given$5K
  13. Brian Bengs (I)Senate · SD
    • Given$5K
  14. Troy Jackson (D)Senate · ME
    • Given$5K
  15. Denise Powell (D)House · NE-02
    • Given$5K
  16. Rebecca Cooke (D)House · WI-03
    • Given$5K
  17. Annie Andrews (D)Senate · SC
    • Given$5K
  18. Ken Paxton (R)Senate · TX
    • Against$4K
  19. Max Miller (R)House · OH-07
    • Against$3K
  20. Nathan Sage (D)Senate · IA
    • Given$3K

Showing the top 20 of 35 candidates.

Bundled contributions (money donors route through a PAC to specific candidates) are broken out only for groups on our issue pages. Outside spending includes $54,164 from 24- and 48-hour reports, as filed, and matches our race pages.

It also gave $32,108 to parties and other committees this cycle. See the list on FEC.gov.

Who funds it

Biggest donors by total given

Each donor’s contributions combined, among the group’s 100 largest this cycle, as of Oct. 31, 2026. A donor who gave many smaller amounts may be missing.

DonorTypeContributionsTotal
Responsive Government ActionOrganization1$1,100,000
Whitcomb, PeterPerson36$50,250
First State BankOrganization21$37,902
VoteVetsPAC1$5,000
Donald HenleyPerson1$2,500
Back the BoldPAC1$2,500
James LangenfeldPerson1$1,797

Largest single contributions

Largest single contributions this cycle, as of Oct. 31, 2026. Committees and organizations link to their own pages when they file with the FEC; an organization that doesn’t file won’t show its own donors here.

ContributorTypeFromDateAmount
Responsive Government ActionOrganizationChicago, ILSept. 23, 2026$1,100,000
VoteVetsPACPortland, ORSept. 30, 2026$5,000
Whitcomb, PeterNot Employed, Not EmployedPersonBrookline, MAJuly 25, 2026$5,000
Messinger, SteveFinance, Sodali & Co Fund SolutionsPersonWalnut Creek, CAJuly 13, 2026$5,000
Rothhouse, RobertNot Employed, Not EmployedPersonEgg Harbor Township, NJJuly 8, 2026$4,000
Lang, DavidNot Employed, Not EmployedPersonPortsmouth, RIJuly 16, 2026$3,000
Donald HenleyProfessional Musician, Self EmployedPersonCharlottesville, VASept. 26, 2026$2,500
Back the BoldPACMoline, ILAug. 25, 2026$2,500
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILJan. 31, 2025$2,450
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILMarch 31, 2025$2,337
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILApril 30, 2025$2,187
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILFeb. 28, 2025$2,174
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILJune 30, 2025$2,155
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILMay 30, 2025$2,142
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILJuly 31, 2025$2,102
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILSept. 30, 2025$2,057
Huizenga, HarryRealestate/Investor, Self EmployedPersonMiami Beach, FLJuly 7, 2026$2,000
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILOct. 31, 2025$1,922
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILDec. 31, 2025$1,921
First State BankOrganizationOttawa, ILAug. 29, 2025$1,919

See every contribution to Back the Bold on FEC.gov. Contributions of $200 or less aren’t listed by name.