Illinois primary enters final sprint before Election Day
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The campaign signs compete for space outside a polling place in Lakeview. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
With Election Day on Tuesday, Illinois' crowded primary races for governor and U.S. Senate are entering their final stretch as candidates travel across the state to sway last-minute voters.
Why it matters: Monday is the traditional day when candidates criss-cross the state in a final push to sway last-minute voters with rallies, meetings, appearances and speeches.
The big picture: Republicans, including former state Sen. Darren Bailey, Ted Dabrowski, Rick Heidner and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, are competing for the chance to challenge incumbent Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker in November.
- Meanwhile, the Democratic primary to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin has three major candidates, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Rep. Robin Kelly, flooding the airwaves and shaking hands across the state.
By the numbers: Democratic Senate candidates have spent more than $50 million on ads so far.
Reality check: While the race has drawn a flood of Super PAC spending, the Krishnamoorthi campaign itself has spent twice as much as any other candidate.
- The winner will advance to the November general election in a race Democrats are heavily favored to win.
Here's where some of the major candidates will be on Monday:
- Bailey and his running mate, Aaron Del Mar, are doing a "statewide fly around," starting in downstate Marion, stopping in Rantoul, Bloomington, Galesburg and Poplar Grove, and ending in Palatine Monday night, the closest to the Chicago area.
- Stratton is keeping it close to home, visiting several Chicago wards, like the 22nd (Southwest Side), 43rd (Lincoln Park), 47th (Lincoln Square) and 49th (Rogers Park).
- Krishnamoorthi will be holding a get-out-the-vote rally Monday night in Schaumburg.
- Kelly will also be staying local, campaigning across various neighborhoods, including Pilsen and Bronzeville.
What's next: Polls open at 6am Tuesday and close at 7pm. Voters who are in line at 7pm will be allowed to cast ballots.
The bottom line: Monday is the final blitz before Illinois voters decide Tuesday who advances to the November ballot.