Tag Archives: Illinois Primary

Stratton, Bean Win; Jackson, Jr. Loses

By Jim Ellis — Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Illinois Primary

The important Illinois primary produced the 2026 election cycle’s first full slate of partisan nominees last night. The Land of Lincoln hosted the nation’s fifth regular primary election, but the first allowing plurality finishes.

In the four previous March primaries, from Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas, only candidates who secured majority support were nominated. In the campaigns where all finishers were under the majority threshold, the top two vote getters advanced into runoff elections.

Senate

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, with strong support from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s political machine, defeated two sitting members of the House, Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Schaumburg) and Robin Kelly (D-Matteson/Chicago) in last night’s Illinois open Senate Democratic primary.

Throughout the great preponderance of the primary campaign cycle, Rep. Krishnamoorthi had developed what appeared to be dominating polling and fundraising leads. In the Past two weeks, however, momentum clearly shifted to Stratton and this closing effort propelled her to a 39.7 – 33.3 percent victory over Krishnamoorthi.

Rep. Kelly, who was never a serious factor, pulled 18.4 percent of the vote. She did better in Cook County, garnering 23 percent, and won her home county of Kankakee, but otherwise, Kelly failed to make her mark throughout the rest of the state.

Stratton carried Cook County, which was expected, with just over 40 percent of the vote. The surprise was her strength downstate, basically running at parity with Krishnamoorthi outside of Cook County.

This race’s final publicly released poll, from FM3 Research (March 10-12; 678 likely Illinois Democratic primary voters), proved spot on. Its survey result from a week ago found Stratton leading Rep. Krishnamoorthi 38-33 percent.

On the Republican side, former state party chairman Don Tracy won his party’s nomination with 40 percent of the vote. He will be a decided underdog to Stratton in November. The winner will replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin (D).

Governor

Incumbent J.B. Pritzker was unopposed in the Democratic primary as he seeks a third consecutive term as the state’s chief executive.

On the Republican side, former state Senator and 2022 gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey won renomination setting up a re-match in November. Four years ago, Gov. Pritzker defeated Bailey by a 55-42 percent count. We can expect a similar result later this year.

House

All of the significant House primary action was on the Democratic side because the party is risking five seats through incumbent retirements and with Reps. Kelly and Krishnamoorthi running for the Senate. While the four hotly contested open seat primaries had large candidate fields, three of the four came down to two principal contenders.

The fifth open seat, that of retiring Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-Chicago), featured only one candidate, the Congressman’s chief of staff, Patty Garcia (no relation to the Congressman). We expect to see several prominent Democrats qualify as Independents to force a competitive general election, however.

In the Chicago-anchored 2nd District where former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. was attempting a comeback, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller instead defeated the former 10-term incumbent, 40-29 percent. Jackson, son of the late civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson, was forced to leave office in 2012 after being convicted of bribery and misusing government and campaign funds. Miller is now a lock to win the general election.

The second comeback attempt, from former Congresswoman Melissa Bean, was successful. She defeated businessman Junaid Ahmed 32-27 percent. Bean was originally elected in 2004 but defeated in 2010. She now returns to succeed Rep. Krishnamoorthi in the state’s Chicago suburban 8th District. This version of the 8th, unlike the seat to which Bean was originally elected, is safely Democratic.

Turning to the 7th CD, the seat that retiring veteran Chicago Congressman Danny Davis represents, state Rep. LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago) defeated Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin 24-20 percent. He will now advance into Congress with what is predicted to be an easy general election win. This is a good example of why some states employ a runoff, because the final winning percentage in this situation is likely to be under 25 percent.

Ninth District Rep. Jan Schkowsky (D-Evanston) is retiring after serving what will be 36 years in the House at the end of this Congress. Her successor will be Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who won the Democratic primary with a close 29-26-20 percent win over free Palestine activist Kat Abughazaleh and state Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview). All other House incumbents from both parties who faced primary opposition won easily.

Next, we will see the special congressional election runoff in Georgia on April 7, followed by New Jersey’s 11th District special general election on April 16. The next regular primaries are not until May 5 in Indiana and Ohio. The month of May will feature 11 regular primaries and the Texas runoff election.

Illinois Primary Today

By Jim Ellis — Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Primary

Voters in the Land of Lincoln will cast their election day ballots in today’s fifth state primary vote. Unlike the others we have witnessed so far in Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas, the Illinois primary is plurality based. Therefore, we will see nominees chosen tonight in all races.

Leading the ticket is the important open US Senate race, and the new incumbent will be effectively crowned tonight in the Democratic primary. Republicans have little chance of putting this Senate seat in play for the general election, so retiring Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D) replacement will come from tonight’s Democratic vote.

The race is largely between Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Schaumburg), who has led in polling and fundraising for almost a year, and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who has been the beneficiary of a Super PAC funded in most part by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his family along with large expenditures from the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association. The outside spending has brought her campaign into relative parity with Krishnamoorthi’s.

There is no doubt that Lt. Gov. Stratton has captured the closing momentum, but the question remains as to whether her late surge is enough to overtake the western Chicago suburban Congressman. A third top-tier candidate, Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Matteson/Chicago), failed to gain traction and is no longer competitive for the nomination.

The closing publicly released poll, from FM3 Research (March 10-12; 678 likely Illinois Democratic primary voters), projects Stratton to a 38-33 percent lead over Rep. Krishnamoorthi. Suggested internal campaign polls, however, still favor the Congressman, but the closing indicators suggest a close finish. Turnout from Chicago as compared to the downstate participation rate will likely be the determining factor. A high Chicago turnout will help Stratton; if the downstate participation is stronger, Krishnamoorthi will win the nomination.

The Governor’s race is also on the ballot. Gov. Pritzker is unopposed for renomination to a third term. Four Republicans are vying for their party’s nomination including 2022 nominee Darren Bailey, a former state Senator. He lost to Pritzker 55-42 percent four years ago. The Governor will again be favored in 2026.

All 17 Illinois US House seats are on the ballot today. Seven delegation members are running unopposed in their respective primaries: Reps. Jonathan Jackson (D-Chicago); Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago); Bill Foster (D-Naperville); Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro); Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville); Darin LaHood (R-Peoria); and Eric Sorensen (D-Moline).

Two former House members are making comeback attempts, and both have strong chances to prove victorious tonight.

Ex-Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D) was elected 10 times but resigned in 2012 when convicted of bribery and misuse of campaign and government funds. In this primary election, he faces nine Democratic opponents for his former 2nd District position. Among the contenders are two state Senators and a Cook County Commissioner. Tonight’s winner will cruise to election in November.

Former Congresswoman Melissa Bean (D) was first elected in 2004 but defeated for re-election in 2010. Now that the 8th District is again open due to Rep. Krishnamoorthi running for the Senate, Bean returns to elective politics. She faces seven Democrats tonight including Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison and local official Yasmeen Bankole.

Fourth District Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-Chicago) is retiring and was able to conceal his intentions until the filing period was ending when his chief of staff, Patty Garcia (no relation to the Congressman), filed in his place. While she is unopposed for the party nomination because Rep. Garcia was expected to seek re-election, four Democrats are attempting to qualify for the ballot as Independents to challenge her in the general election.

To gain ballot access without a political party nomination, an individual must recruit more than 10,500 petition signatures from the district’s registered voters. Included in this group are Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Lyons Mayor Chris Getty. The signatures must be submitted by May 26.

Incumbents Mike Quigley (D-Chicago), Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove), Brad Schneider (D-Highland Park), Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield), and Mary Miller (R-Oakland) all face intra-party competition, but each is expected to easily win renomination.

The state congressional delegation also features two more safe Democratic open seats. In District 7, veteran Chicago Congressman Danny Davis (D) is retiring, and 14 Democrats are competing to be his successor. The group includes a state Representative, the Chicago City Treasurer, a local Mayor, a labor union official, and a physician within the crowded field. This plurality primary will likely be decided with the winner receiving only a small number of votes.

A similar situation will occur in retiring Rep. Jan Schkowsky’s (D-Evanston) open 9th District. Here, 15 Democrats are on the ballot, and it appears one of the following will likely be victorious tonight: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, state Sens. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) and Mike Simmons (D-Chicago), state Rep. Hoan Huynh (D-Chicago), or political researcher Kat Abughazaleh who has a national following.

We are assured of seeing some very interesting results later this evening.