Republican Representative Stephens Donates to Democrat Senate President
Rep. Brad Stephens (R-Rosemont), who is also the Mayor of Rosemont, donated $10,000 to Senate President Don Harmon from his mayoral campaign account.
Rep. Brad Stephens (R-Rosemont), who doubles as Mayor of the powerful small Cook County village, raised red flags with a handful of GOP lawmakers after he gave $10,000 to the campaign of Democratic Senate President Don Harmon.
The contribution, which came from Stephens’ mayoral account and not his legislative account, was reported to the State Board of Elections Friday.
Reached Monday, Stephens said he was showing thanks for Harmon’s leadership to benefit Cook County communities.
“Every time [I] needed something for Rosemont before [I] was a legislator, Don Harmon was there,” Stephens said, “My district, if you look at it, is right down the middle. I hold both offices and I need to worry about the community that I came from, too.”
But the donation riled at least one Republican lawmaker we spoke to.
“It’s unconscionable,” said one Republican lawmaker. “We can never gain seats if we’re handing money to the Democrats.”
Stephens said he donated to the fundraiser hosted by the plumber’s union, which he said has been supportive of him, too.
“I believe that sometimes we have to look beyond the party lines,” Stephens said. “I’m sorry that whoever said that said that, but that’s their ideology.”
Stephens is unopposed for a second full term in the House.