Crowded GOP field targets Gov. JB Pritzker
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The gubernatorial primary features a crowded field of Republicans running for the opportunity to unseat incumbent Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker.
Why it matters: The Illinois GOP hasn't won the governor's mansion since Bruce Rauner in 2015 and doesn't control a single statewide office.
State of play: In 2024, Republicans made inroads with President Trump on the ballot, but the gubernatorial hopefuls have an uphill battle to beat Pritzker and unite a fractured party, which has yet to coalesce around the MAGA movement.
- The candidates aren't spending time swiping at each other this primary campaign, instead zeroing in on Pritzker, citing his progressive policies and state finances.
Zoom in: Frontrunner Darren Bailey is back for a rematch, hoping to reprise the 2022 gubernatorial election, but with better results.
- His campaign is hoping that running mate Aaron Del Mar, a rising Republican star in Cook County, can help him with voters in the Chicago area.
Zoom out: Bailey, a former downstate lawmaker, won the 2022 Republican primary mostly because he aligned himself with Trump and a more far-right agenda versus more moderate competition.
Reality check: The Illinois GOP is firmly behind Bailey, but then again, they were firmly behind Richard Irvin in 2022, before Bailey pulled the upset in the primary.
The other side: This time, Bailey won't have that advantage since his main competition is Ted Dabrowski, who runs the conservative media site Wirepoints.
- First-time candidate Dabrowski is the underdog, but has rallied to raise more money than Bailey, mostly from downtown Chicago businesses.
- Developer Rick Heidner and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick are also running.
The intrigue: What role will Trump play in this race? Trump and his immigration policies will be scrutinized, especially in Illinois, where immigration enforcement missions were met with turbulence and chaos.
- The president also threatened to deploy the National Guard before the courts deemed it unconstitutional, and it's unclear if his tariff policy has had a positive impact here. Instead, an Illinois company's lawsuit over the tariffs is in front of the Supreme Court.
The bottom line: Whoever wins the Republican primary will have their work cut out for them, not only to unseat the incumbent, but to unite the party.