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Illinois gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (March 20 Democratic primary)

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 4, 2017
Primary: March 20, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Gov. Bruce Rauner (Republican)
Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Illinois
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Likely Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic
Inside Elections: Likely Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Illinois
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Treasurer
Comptroller

Businessman J.B. Pritzker (D) was the winner of the March 20, 2018, Democratic primary election for the nomination to challenge incumbent Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R), who was seeking re-election.[1] Political observers expected the general election to be competitive; a Cook Political Report analysis published in June 2018 called Rauner the most vulnerable incumbent governor seeking re-election that year.[2]

Some political observers predicted the choice could shape the future of the Democratic Party. Mother Jones reporter Tim Murphy wrote that the Illinois contest was one of seven "high-stakes primary contests" nationwide that could "determine what kind of party emerges when the dust settles in November."[3]

Pritzker, who had not previously sought elected office, emphasized his support for what he described as progressive values and promised resistance to policies proposed by President Trump (R).[4] His endorsements included both of the state's members of the U.S. Senate, the Illinois AFL-CIO, and the Cook County Democratic Party. Pritzker referred to his ability to self-fund at comparable levels to Rauner throughout the campaign, which observers noted allowed Democratic groups to devote resources to other competitive elections. Ahead of the March 20 primary, Pritzker contributed $68.3 million to his own campaign while Rauner contributed $37 million to his.[5]

State Sen. Daniel Biss (D) ran with the backing of the Sierra Club of Illinois, National Nurses United, and Bernie Sanders-affiliated group Our Revolution. Biss cast his campaign as a challenge to the state's establishment, criticizing state House Speaker Michael Madigan (D) as well as Rauner. Biss' platform emphasized increased taxes on the wealthy and called for increased funding for healthcare and education.

Businessman Chris Kennedy (D), the son of former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-N.Y.), argued that it was time for the state's direction to change and called for increased investment in higher education in the hopes of attracting high tech companies as well as measures to reduce the prevalence of violence committed using firearms. His endorsers included Reps. Danny K. Davis (D) and Bobby Rush (D).

Also on the ballot were Madison County Superintendent of Schools Bob Daiber (D), activist Tio Hardiman (D), and physician Robert Marshall (D). A seventh candidate, physician Terry Getz (D), was disqualified because he did not submit any of the 5,000 signatures required to qualify for the ballot.[6]

Election updates

  • March 14, 2018: Biss, Pritzker, and Chris Kennedy participate in the final candidate forum of the primary.[9]
  • March 7-9, 2018: Capitol Fax/We Ask America conducts a poll showing Pritzker leading the Democratic primary with 35 percent of the vote. Kennedy and Biss round out the top three with 16 and 15 percent of the vote, respectively.[10]

Candidates and election results

See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Illinois on March 20, 2018.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Illinois

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of J.B. Pritzker
J.B. Pritzker
 
45.1
 
597,756
Image of Daniel K. Biss
Daniel K. Biss
 
26.7
 
353,625
Image of Chris Kennedy
Chris Kennedy
 
24.4
 
322,730
Image of Tio Hardiman
Tio Hardiman
 
1.6
 
21,075
Image of Bob Daiber
Bob Daiber
 
1.1
 
15,009
Image of Robert Marshall
Robert Marshall
 
1.1
 
14,353

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 1,324,548
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor of Illinois run on a joint ticket. Running mates are selected during the primary. The tickets listed below filed for the Democratic primary election.

Top candidates

The candidates featured below raised at least $1,000,000 prior to the filing deadline. They are listed in alphabetical order.

Daniel Biss square.jpg

Daniel Biss (D)
Gubernatorial candidate
Member of the Illinois State Senate since 2013

Litesa Wallace square.jpg

Litesa Wallace (D)
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 2014


Campaign website Facebook Twitter Youtube
After receiving his doctorate in math from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Biss worked as a professor at the University of Chicago. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2010 and the state Senate in 2012. As of the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, Biss served as the chair of the state Senate Labor Committee and vice chair of the Human Services Committee.

In his announcement speech in March 2017, Biss argued that state House Speaker Michael Madigan (D) had served in his position for too long and called for changes to the state's tax structure. "We have a political system where billionaires and machine politicians are the ones who are listened to," he said. "That’s the system we have to change."[11] On his campaign website, Biss describes his campaign as "a movement to take our state back from money and the machine" and identifies his policy priority as increasing taxes on the wealthy. He has identified other policy priorities as healthcare and increased funding for education.[12]

Biss received endorsements from former Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon (D), law professor Lawrence Lessig, and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D).

Chris Kennedy Illinois.jpg

Chris Kennedy (D)
Gubernatorial candidate
Real estate, nonprofit executive

Ra Joy.jpg

Ra Joy (D)
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate
Activist, nonprofit executive


Campaign website Facebook Twitter Youtube
The son of former U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY), Chris Kennedy has not previously sought elected office. Kennedy has worked in real-estate management, manufacturing, the nonprofit sector, and finance, where he managed the Kennedy family investment firm.

In his February 2017 announcement video, Kennedy argued that he would change the direction the state was headed in for the better: "I've seen from so many different vantage points the potential of the state. Then I see the failings of the government...There's growing despair, there's bewilderment. The state needs to change."[13] On his campaign website, Kennedy says, "we need to get to a place where the government works for us, and with us" and identifies his policy priority as modifications to the state's property tax structure. Kennedy has also identified increased access to education as a key aspect of his platform.[14]

Kennedy received endorsements from Chicago Alderman Chuy Garcia (D), U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D), and Chicago Police Accountability Task Force Chairwoman Lori Lightfoot.

JB Pritzker.jpg

J.B. Pritzker (D)
Gubernatorial candidate
Investor, nonprofit executive

Juliana Stratton square.jpg

Juliana Stratton (D)
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives since January 2017


Campaign website Facebook Twitter Youtube

J.B. Pritzker, who is an heir of Hyatt Hotels founder A.N. Pritzker and the brother of former U.S. Commerce Sec. Penny Pritzker (D), has not previously sought elected office. He has worked as a venture capitalist and in the nonprofit sector and served as the chairman of the Illinois Human Rights Commission.

In his April 2017 announcement speech, Pritzker voiced support for liberal policies and values and opposition to Gov. Bruce Rauner (R). In an interview following the speech, he said, "This campaign isn't about money. It's about values. It's about progressive values. That's what I've stood for my whole life. I grew up a progressive Democrat. I've fought for progressive Democratic values."[4] On his campaign website, Pritzker says, "none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines. We have to stand up for what we believe in" and highlights his proposals for healthcare, early childhood education, and resistance to President Trump.[15]

Pritzker received endorsements from both of the state's members of the U.S. Senate, as well as the Illinois AFL-CIO, the Cook County Democratic Party, and the Laborer's International Union of North America.

Other candidates

Bob Daiber.jpg

Bob Daiber (D)
Gubernatorial candidate
Madison County superintendent of schools since 2006

Jonathan Todd.jpg

Jonathan Todd (D)
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate
Social worker


Campaign website Facebook Twitter Youtube

Tio-Hardiman.jpg

Tio Hardiman (D)
Gubernatorial candidate
Nonprofit organizer, activist

Patricia Avery.jpg

Patricia Avery (D)
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate
President of the Champaign County NAACP


Campaign website Facebook Twitter Youtube

Robert Marshall.jpg

Robert Marshall (D)
Gubernatorial candidate
Physician

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

Dennis Cole (D)
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate
Unknown

Campaign website

Political analysis of election outcome

After the election, party leaders and journalists assessed the causes and consequences of Pritzker's primary win. Common topics included spending in the race and divisions within the Democratic Party.

Spending in the race

Sun-Times Editorial Board, Chicago Sun-Times

"What the numbers say is obvious. The Republican and Democratic primaries for governor were not fair elections.

A couple of enormously wealthy men started out with an absurd advantage, and of course they won. What a shock.

We actually endorsed both super-rich guys, Rauner and Pritzker. Not because they’re rich, but despite their wealth.

We thought they were the best candidates in their respective primaries. But as we watched the campaigns play out over the last year, we were as disheartened as anybody by how their enormous wealth overwhelmed all else."[16]

Russell Berman, The Atlantic

"Pritzker has deep ties to the Democratic Party, both through his own campaign contributions and his family: His sister, Penny Pritzker, was a top fundraiser for former President Barack Obama and later commerce secretary. With a net worth of around $3.4 billion and the backing of most of the Illinois Democratic establishment, he’s already spent nearly $70 million to blanket the state with ads pitching himself as the best hope of defeating Rauner and fighting Trump. (Rauner doesn’t have quite that much of his own, having estimated his net worth at several hundred million dollars.) The money clearly helped him outpace both Kennedy and Biss, who called himself 'the middle-class candidate' in contrast to his much wealthier opponents.

All three Democrats hailed from the Chicago area, but Pritzker’s self-funding allowed him to reach deeper across the state. 'He’s had the money to do a lot more downstate than Biss or Kennedy have been able to do,' said Kent Redfield, a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois-Urbana."[17]

Intraparty divisions

Bill Barrow, Associated Press

"Illinois voters didn't settle the ideological battles within the two major parties — they simply illuminated them, even with the impressive turnout among Democrats...

Perhaps Rauner's best comfort is in his Democratic rival's primary struggles. Despite his spending advantage, Pritzker couldn't manage a majority after a primary race that featured his two closest competitors calling him a 'fraud' and a 'liar.' And Pritzker's pledges to working families notwithstanding, the liberal groups and activists that have propelled the anti-Donald Trump resistance movement lined up mostly behind the second- and third-place finishers, Daniel Biss and Chris Kennedy.

Pritzker must hope that the most outspoken liberal branches of the party follow the lead of Indivisible Chicago, the local chapter of one of the leading national grassroots organizations that formed after Trump's election to resist his agenda. The group called for party unity Tuesday, called Pritzker's platform 'progressive' and said he 'represents a significant upgrade' over Rauner. Perhaps not a full-throated endorsement, but a first step toward what Pritzker needs."[18]

Campaign finance

The table below presents campaign finance figures obtained from Illinois Sunshine on March 15, 2018.[19] For current campaign finance information, refer to Illinois Sunshine or the Illinois State Board of Elections' contribution and expenditure databases.


Endorsements

Democratic candidate endorsements
Endorsement Date Pritzker Kennedy Biss
Federal officials
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D)[20] December 8, 2017 ‎✔
Sen. Dick Durbin (D)[20] December 8, 2017 ‎✔
Rep. Danny K. Davis (D)[21] November 21, 2017 ‎✔
Rep. Mike Quigley (D)[22] October 30, 2017 ‎✔
Rep. Cheri Bustos (D)[23] October 9, 2017 ‎✔
Former Rep. Jerry Costello (D)[24] October 4, 2017 ‎✔
Former Rep. Glenn Poshard (D)[25] September 21, 2017 ‎✔
Rep. Robin Kelly (D)[26] August 17, 2017 ‎✔
Rep. Bobby Rush (D)[27] June 19, 2017 ‎✔
National figures
Former Sen. Adlai Stevenson III (D-IL)[28] January 18, 2018 ‎✔
Activist Les Leopold[29] January 6, 2018 ‎✔
Lawrence Lessig, law professor[30] November 28, 2017 ‎✔
State figures
State Sen. Tom Cullerton (D)[31] March 16, 2018 ‎✔
State Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D)[31] March 16, 2018 ‎✔
State Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D)[31] March 16, 2018 ‎✔
State Rep. Robyn Gabel (D)[32] - ‎✔
State Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D)[33] February 18, 2018 ‎✔
State Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D)[34] February 7, 2018 ‎✔
Former state Sen. President Emil Jones Jr. (D)[34] February 3, 2018 ‎✔
Former state Rep. Daniel Beiser (D)[35] December 17, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. James Clayborne (D)[35] December 17, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D)[35] December 17, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. Bill Haine (D)[35] December 17, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D)[35] December 17, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. Katie Stuart (D)[35] December 17, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. William Davis (D)[36] December 15, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. Bill Cunningham (D)[37] December 8, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. Theresa Mah (D)[38] December 5, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. Greg Harris (D)[39] December 2, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. Laura Murphy (D)[40] November 17, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. Carol Ammons (D)[41] November 15, 2017 ‎✔
Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs (D)[42] November 15, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. Andy Manar (D)[43] November 10, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. John Mulroe (D)[44] November 10, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. Don Harmon (D)[45] November 3, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. Ann Williams (D)[46] October 23, 2017 ‎✔
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza (D)[47] September 27, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. Steve Stadelman (D)[48] September 19, 2017 ‎✔
Doug House, president of the Illinois Democratic Chairmen's Association[49] September 13, 2017 ‎✔
Donna Miller, Vice President of Illinois Democratic Women[50] August 26, 2017 ‎✔
Former Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon (D)[51] August 25, 2017 ‎✔
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White (D)[52] August 23, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. Pat McGuire (D)[53] August 8, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. Omar Aquino (D)[54] July 21, 2017 ‎✔
State Sen. David Koehler (D)[55] July 6, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D)[56] June 28, 2017 ‎✔
State Rep. Will Guzzardi (D)[57] June 16, 2017 ‎✔
Local figures
Former Chicago Treasurer Stephanie Neely (D)[34] February 18, 2018 ‎✔
Chicago Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza [58] February 12, 2018 ‎✔
Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin (D)[34] February 11, 2018 ‎✔
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Trustee Debra Shore (D)[59] - ‎✔
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (D)[60] February 7, 2018 ‎✔
Cook County Board President Bobbie Steele (D)[34] February 5, 2018 ‎✔
Chicago Ald. Anthony Beale (D)[34] February 2, 2018 ‎✔
Former Chicago Ald. Dick Simpson[61] December 12, 2017 ‎✔
Chicago Ald. Scott Waguespack[62] November 29, 2017 ‎✔
Chicago Ald. Roberto Maldonado[63] November 20, 2017 ‎✔
Lori Lightfoot, Chairwoman of the Police Accountability Task Force[64] November 14, 2017 ‎✔
Chicago Ald. John Arena[65] November 7, 2017 ‎✔
Cook County Commissioner Jesus Garcia[66] September 28, 2017 ‎✔
Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner[67] July 26, 2017 ‎✔
Organizations
The Chicago Maroon[7] March 17, 2018 ‎✔
Quad-City Times[8] March 15, 2018 ‎✔
Shaw Media[68] March 14, 2018 ‎✔
Indivisible Lakeview[69] March 13, 2018 ‎✔
Indivisible NWIL[69] March 13, 2018 ‎✔
Indivisible Oak Park Area[69] March 13, 2018 ‎✔
The Columbia Chronicle[70] March 12, 2018 ‎✔
The Daily Northwestern[71] March 9, 2018 ‎✔
St. Louis Post-Dispatch[72] March 8, 2018 ‎✔
Peoria Journal Star[73] March 2, 2018 ‎✔
Chicago Sun-times[74] February 25, 2018 ‎✔
Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette[75] February 25, 2018 ‎✔
The Pantagraph[76] February 25, 2018 ‎✔
Berwyn United[77] February 22, 2018 ‎✔
Chicago City Council's Veterans Caucus[78] February 22, 2018 ‎✔
Our Revolution[79] February 22, 2018 ‎✔
Chicago Tribune[80] February 21, 2018 ‎✔
Sierra Club - Illinois[81] February 20, 2018 ‎✔
Chicago Daily Herald[82] February 16, 2018 ‎✔
People's Action[83] February 15, 2018 ‎✔
Illini Democrats[84] February 8, 2018 ‎✔
National Association of Social Workers-Illinois[85] February 7, 2018 ‎✔
Equality Illinois[86] February 6, 2018 ‎✔
Blackroots Resistance[87] January 30, 2018 ‎✔
Our Revolution Illinois[88] January 29, 2018 ‎✔
Planned Parenthood[89] January 25, 2018 ‎✔ ‎✔ ‎✔
MoveOn.org[90] January 25, 2018 ‎✔
National Nurses United[91] January 22, 2018 ‎✔
Reclaim Chicago[91] January 22, 2018 ‎✔
Democratic Party of Evanston[92] January 21, 2018 ‎✔
New Trier Democrats[93] January 14, 2018 ‎✔
Personal PAC[94] January 11, 2018 ‎✔
Illinois Education Association[95] January 10, 2018 ‎✔
Illinois Federation of Teachers[96] December 9, 2017 ‎✔
Northwest Illinois Building Trades[64] November 14, 2017 ‎✔
Northside Democracy for America[97] November 9, 2017 ‎✔
45th Ward Independent Democrats[65] November 7, 2017 ‎✔
Indo-American Democratic Organization[98] November 6, 2017 ‎✔
Laborers International Union of North America[99] September 25, 2017 ‎✔
Arab American Democratic Club[100] September 15, 2017 ‎✔
Cook County Democratic Party[101] August 11, 2017 ‎✔
Champaign County Young Democrats[102] July 31, 2017 ‎✔
Illinois AFL-CIO[103] June 6, 2017 ‎✔
International Union of Operating Engineers Local[104] May 10, 2017 ‎✔
St. Clair County Democratic Party[105] May 9, 2017 ‎✔
Southern Illinois Democratic County Chairmen's Association[106] March 1, 2017 ‎✔


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Illinois gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2018
Poll Pritzker KennedyBissHardimanDaiberMarshallGetzSomeone elseUndecided/OtherMargin of errorSample size
Capitol Fax/We Ask America
March 7-9, 2018		 35.37%15.65%14.58%0.87%1.46%0.68%0%0%31.39%+/-3.11,029
Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, Southern Illinois University
February 19-25, 2018		 31%17%21%2%1%1%1%1%25%+/-4.5472
ALG Research for Biss
February 6-11, 2018		 32%24%24%2%1%1%0%0%16%+/-4.4500
Global Strategy Group for Pritzker
January 29-31, 2018		 41%16%22%0%0%0%0%0%20%+/-3.5801
We Ask America
January 28-30, 2018		 29.79%11.50%17.43%1.73%0.87%0.74%0%0%37.95%+/-3.4811
Capitol Fax/We Ask America
October 17-18, 2017		 39%15%6%1%1%0%0%0%36%+/-3.01,154
Garin-Hart-Yang
June 26-29, 2017		 38%44%0%0%0%0%0%0%18%+/-4.0602
AVERAGES 35.17% 20.45% 15% 1.09% 0.76% 0.49% 0.14% 0.14% 26.33% +/-3.7 767
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Illinois gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2018 (no margin of error information)
Poll J.B. Pritzker Chris KennedyDaniel BissUndecided/OtherSample Size
Global Strategy Group for Pritzker
(February 9-13, 2017)		 37%23%21%19%802
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Campaign themes and policy stances

Policy positions

Immigration

  • Democratic Party Daniel Biss (D): On April 3, 2017, Biss announced his support for the Trust Act, a bill that was under consideration by the state Legislature preventing state law enforcement from taking part in immigration enforcement without a warrant.[107]
  • Democratic Party Chris Kennedy (D): Kennedy's policy page on his official website summarizes his immigration policy as: "Chris Kennedy believes immigrants play a vital role in shaping every aspect of our economic sustainability and continued growth. They teach us not to be afraid of what’s new and what’s different but instead to embrace change and new ideas. As governor, Chris would ensure Illinois operates as a sanctuary state."[108]
  • Democratic Party J.B. Pritzker (D): In an interview with Negocios Now, Pritzker called for the state to support its sanctuary cities and said that as governor he would consider declaring Illinois a sanctuary state.[109]

Marijuana

  • Democratic Party Daniel Biss (D): "I'm a cosponsor of [the senate] bill [to legalize marijuana]. There's a basic question of justice given the inequity of the application of drug laws, and particularly marijuana laws, that I think has been vicious and harmful—particularly to communities of color. It's a basic question of whether the right way to deal with this particular addiction is through the criminal law or through appropriate regulation and taxation, and, when appropriate, [substance abuse] treatment. I do think there are situations where marijuana is abused in a way that is unsafe for people. And then there's the pragmatic question: Do we want to be spending money on the criminal justice system, or raising government funds through taxation of a legalized product?"[110]
  • Democratic Party Chris Kennedy (D): Kennedy's policy page on his official campaign website outlines his policy on marijuana as: "Chris Kennedy believes marijuana should be publicly available to the extent that reputable scientists and medical professional advise. He supports expanding access to medical marijuana and decriminalizing marijuana in Illinois. He believes we should not prosecute and overcrowd our jails because of possession of a modest amount of marijuana."
  • Democratic Party J.B. Pritzker (D): "J.B. favors legalization in Illinois and wants it to be done in a way that ensures common sense regulation and a plan to maximize revenue to the state...J.B. believes that we should look at best practices from other states and make sure we implement legalization in a responsible way."[110]

Term limits

  • Democratic Party Daniel Biss (D): In a Twitter thread dated August 9, 2017, Biss called for term limits for legislative leadership positions: "Term limits are one part of making the system fairer: making way for new leaders to represent the interests of the middle class."[111]
  • Democratic Party Chris Kennedy (D): On October 19, 2017, Kennedy published his platform for issues relating to state government. In it, he called for term limits for all state government positions, beginning with term limits for legislative leaders.[112]
  • Democratic Party J.B. Pritzker (D): "On October 18, 2017, Pritzker announced that he was in favor of term limits for legislative leaders.[113]

Tuition

  • Democratic Party Daniel Biss (D): In a town hall on March 23, 2017, Biss called on the state to cover the costs of attending community college.[114]
  • Democratic Party Chris Kennedy (D): Kennedy's official campaign website's policy page lists his stance on tuition as: "Chris will establish an Illinois Promise Program, learning from the work of states like Tennessee, Oregon, Minnesota, New York and Kentucky, to provide a minimum of two-years of tuition and fees for low- to middle-income students who are eligible to attain a degree or credential at a community college or trade school in Illinois. He will also work with our public institutions to incentivize transitioning merit-based aid to tuition based aid, and expand upon the success of our Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant student assistance program."[115]
  • Democratic Party J.B. Pritzker (D): In an interview on April 18, 2017, Pritzker called for increased funding for education grants: "Tuition has gone way up in this state...It's become harder and harder for middle class families to put their kids through school. College is not affordable in this state when you don't have (Monetary Award Program grants for low-income students) — and we don't fund MAP grants...So we've got to step back up to the plate here, and we've got to make sure that people who are seeking to get a degree in higher education have the ability to get it."[116]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: Illinois gubernatorial election, 2018
Race tracker Race ratings
November 5, 2018 October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018
The Cook Political Report Likely Democratic Likely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales Likely Democratic Likely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball Likely Democratic Likely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

Campaign tactics and strategies

Campaign advertisements

Click here to view campaign ads in this race.

Online presence

The following social media statistics were compiled on December 11, 2017.

Facebook Twitter
Candidate Followers Likes Comments on Last Ten Posts Followers Following Tweets
Democratic Party Biss 32,688 30,611 45 10,842 531 4,732
Democratic Party Kennedy 50,618 49,939 45 4,440 161 861
Democratic Party Pritzker 47,555 45,984 773 18,424 1,756 5,622


Noteworthy events

Republican involvement in the Democratic primary

In January 2018, the Rauner campaign announced that it would run a 14-minute long advertisement consisting of a recorded phone conversation between Democratic candidate J.B. Pritzker and then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) regarding the potential appointment of Pritzker as state attorney general in the event that Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D) was appointed to the U.S. Senate seat held by President-elect Barack Obama (D). The conversation occurred one month before Blagojevich's arrest and eventual imprisonment on charges that he had solicited campaign donations from potential nominees to the Senate seat. Rauner's campaign argued that "J.B. Pritzker is part of the corruption and cronyism that has plagued Illinois for decades...The people of Illinois deserve better." Pritzker's campaign countered that "J.B. Pritzker was accused of no wrongdoing. Bruce Rauner is desperately trying to interfere in the Democratic primary because he can't defend his failed record and because he doesn't want to face JB Pritzker in November."[117]

Debates and forums

March 14 debate

On March 14, 2018, Daniel Biss, Chris Kennedy, and J.B. Pritzker participated in a candidate forum that was broadcast live by WTTW. Click here for coverage of the forum.[9]

March 2 debate

On March 2, 2018, all six of the Democratic candidates for governor of Illinois participated in a candidate forum sponsored by ABC7, Univision, and the League of Women Voters of Illinois. Click here for coverage of the forum.[118]

March 1 debate

On March 1, 2018, all six of the Democratic candidates for governor of Illinois participated in a candidate forum hosted by the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics, WBEZ FM-91.5, and Politico at the University of Chicago's Logan Center for the Arts. Click here for coverage of the forum.[119]

February 21 debate

On February 21, 2018, five of the declared Democratic candidates appeared at a debate hosted at the University of Illinois—Springfield. Chris Kennedy (D) did not attend, citing a doctor's warning against travel after a recent back injury. Among the topics discussed at the debate were:[120][121][122]

  • Healthcare: Biss called for the state to adopt a single-payer healthcare system, while Pritzker called for the introduction of a public option.
  • Pensions: Pritzker criticized Biss' vote in favor of a modification to the state's pension system in 2013: "Dan Biss introduced a bill that took pensions away from 450,000 workers across the state, including teachers and nurses. And I don’t think that’s good for the middle class." Biss stated that he had had a change of opinion since: "I was a legislator in early 2011 when there was a huge budget crisis...I was trying my best and fell for a false choice on what this problem was. I’ve learned that lesson, and that lesson is visible in my voting record for years since that time."
  • Relationship with Donald Trump: Pritzker stated that he would oppose actions taken by President Trump (R): "I've been standing up to him for two years now." Biss also called for opposition to policies supported by the president: "Many, many states across the country have been leading the resistance to Trump and his stands on women's rights, LGBTQ rights, immigration reform, environmental protection and health care, and Illinois has been silent." Daiber stated that he would seek to negotiate with the president: "I'm not going to shut the door on any president, like him or not...When you sit at the table, you talk about issues, you talk about how to compromise."
  • Relationship with Michael Madigan: The candidates discussed their relationships with state House Speaker Michael Madigan (D), referring to allegations that Madigan had not properly responded to reports of sexual harassment at organizations he had overseen. Biss called on Madigan to resign as the chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois: "I've called for Mike Madigan to step down as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois. I'm a Democratic elected official. He's lost my faith and the ability to lead this party -- and I think there's been real questions called about his leadership of the House as well." Biss also argued that Pritzker was a political ally of Madigan's: "There’s a Pritzker-Madigan wing of the Democratic Party and there’s the progressive wing of the Democratic Party that I’m a part of." Pritzker countered that Biss had accepted contributions from Madigan during previous political campaigns and called for an independent investigation into the allegations: "We need to make sure that there is a fully independent investigation, something that is totally independent of Speaker Madigan’s operation and Speaker Madigan himself." Hardiman called for term limits for state legislative seats, arguing that they would weaken the power of any individual member of the Legislature. Marshall called on Madigan to step down from his roles as state party chairman and speaker of the state House. Daiber argued that any investigation against Madigan was not likely to result in any findings that would lead to his losing either position: "When I become governor, Mike Madigan is going to sit across the table from me and we’re going to get along with the business of the state of Illinois."
  • School shootings: Referring to the February 14, 2018, school shooting in Parkland, Florida, Pritzker called for a statewide ban on what he described as assault weapons, but did not specify which types of firearms would be covered by such a ban. Pritzker also argued in favor of a ban on modifications that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire multiple times without multiple pulls on the trigger and for limitations on the capacity of ammunition magazines. Daiber argued in favor of increased security measures for schools, including buzzer-activated exterior doors and anti-shatter window film. Hardiman called for measures that he argued would limit the transportation of firearms into Illinois that were not permitted under state law.

January 30 candidate forum

On January 30, 2018, all six declared Democratic candidates appeared at a candidate forum in Carbondale. The candidates discussed the economy and debated over who would perform best in southern Illinois, which has supported Republican candidates in recent elections.[123][124]

  • Biss argued that the state Democratic Party had not properly allocated campaign resources in recent elections, contending that even areas considered safely Democratic or Republican should be contested: "We need a party that will be everywhere in Illinois, every corner..Stop taking people for granted, and bring people together with an agenda that lifts everybody up."
  • Daiber claimed that he was the first Democratic candidate residing in downstate Illinois to run for governor in 20 years and argued that this would give him an advantage: "When you go to your mailbox in the morning, and you see your neighbor at the mailbox and you’re both taking out this political literature, who’s easiest to sell? Some guy from Southern Illinois that has a FOID card, that the people in Chicago said, ‘You better watch him, ’cause he owns a gun’? Or is it some rich guy that’s got millions of dollars that’s not at all like them?"
  • Hardiman argued that a new leadership style was necessary: "I believe it’s important to run this state from the bottom up rather than the top down."
  • Kennedy called on the Democratic Party to attempt to win over voters who had backed Donald Trump (R) in the 2016 election: "It's a mistake not to listen to those voices...They are angry, they are raging, they are ticked off that the promise of this country hasn't been met. Today in America, if you are born poor you will probably remain poor, the wealthy will stay wealthy, and if you are born in between you will have a life of constant threat and hazard ... and Trump tapped into that anger."
  • Marshall contended that the best solution was to divide the state into three: "You've been ignored down here...We've got 20 percent of the state bossing around the other 80 percent...You won't be associated with Chicago anymore, you'll have your own state, your own governor, a new constitution."
  • Pritzker emphasized that he would oppose Trump if elected: "I don't care where I am, Donald Trump is still a misogynist, a racist and a xenophobe...But I do not believe most people who voted for him share his characteristics."

January 23 debate

On January 23, 2018, all six declared Democratic candidates appeared in the race's first televised debate. The Chicago Tribune characterized the debate as primarily a clash between Daniel Biss and J.B. Pritzker. Biss argued that Pritzker would not fare well in a general election against sitting Gov. Bruce Rauner (R), citing what he claimed was a close relationship between Pritzker and state House Speaker Michael Madigan (D): "The best thing for (Rauner) in this election is to run against another billionaire who’s Mike Madigan’s candidate...If we want to be successful, we can’t afford to do that. And so I think it’s important to nominate someone with a record of standing up to Mike Madigan." In response, Pritzker countered that Biss was "the only candidate on this stage that voted for Mike Madigan for speaker of the House, that ran Mike Madigan’s super (political action committee) in 2016." The Tribune noted that Chris Kennedy also criticized Pritzker, referencing a taped conversation between Pritzker and then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), but "Pritzker completely ignored Kennedy."

Many of the issues discussed at the debate were tax-related, with all candidates except Robert Marshall calling for the replacement of the state's flat income tax with a graduated rate. Bob Daiber was the only candidate to support an increase in the gasoline tax, while Daniel Biss was the only candidate to support a tax on financial transactions. The candidates were also asked whether they were in support of incentive packages to encourage corporations to move to Illinois, such as the proposals offered by state and local governments in Amazon.com's then-ongoing search for a second headquarters. Biss, Kennedy, and Pritzker all expressed their opposition to the concept:

  • Biss: "Large corporations that are famous enough to get a headline in the newspaper, that are big enough to hire the right lobbyists in Springfield, put their hands out. They get what they want."
  • Kennedy: "I think bringing companies, buying them into the states is a terrible economic development philosophy."
  • Pritzker: "It has become a race to the bottom, unfortunately, around the nation where municipalities and states are offering huge tax benefits to bring companies to their state...Talent is what companies are looking for. We’ve got to invest in that."[125]

January 19 candidate forum

On January 19, 2018, all six declared Democratic candidates appeared at a candidate forum hosted by the Chicago Tribune. Daniel Biss, Bob Daiber, Tio Hardiman, Chris Kennedy, Robert Marshall, and J.B. Pritzker discussed their policy priorities in front of the paper's editorial board. The Tribune article discussing the forum argued that "J.B. Pritzker found himself at the center of an attack-filled forum Friday as Democratic governor rivals accused him of being an insider who benefited from property tax breaks and questioned his relationship with former Gov. Rod Blagojevich."[126]

January 17 candidate forum

On January 17, 2018, all six declared Democratic candidates appeared at a candidate forum hosted by the Chicago Sun-Times. Daniel Biss, Bob Daiber, Tio Hardiman, Chris Kennedy, Robert Marshall, and J.B. Pritzker discussed their policy priorities in front of the paper's editorial board.[127]

  • Biss criticized Pritzker and Kennedy over allegations that properties they had owned were not being taxed at the required rate: "When you rip the toilets out of your mansion to decrease your property taxes, that doesn’t take money away from schools. That drives up my property tax bill. That drives up your property tax bills. That drives up every other Illinois homeowners’ taxpayer bill."
  • Daiber argued that he was a candidate with appeal outside of the Chicago area: "I’m running for governor of all of Illinois, not the city. And I think that’s what my candidacy has brought into this race. …What has happened is that we have become so economically depressed in this state that jobs mean justice for people, good paying jobs."
  • Hardiman called for a tax on financial transactions: "For far too long, a lot of the wealthier people have not been paying their fair share in taxes, so these particular taxes can tax the people according to their income status, which is very, very important. We have a $25 million a day pension payment we have to pay every day."
  • Kennedy discussed allegations he had made that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel had been responsible for neglecting parts of the city: "A food desert, a pharmacy desert, high crime rates, no access to school over taxation, no access to mental health or hospitals. That’s either happening intentionally, or it’s happening, and no one is intending to fix it."
  • Marshall argued in favor of his campaign's proposal to divide Illinois into three separate states
  • Pritzker discussed recordings that had been made public by the Chicago Tribune of him discussing the possibility of being appointed state attorney general with then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D): "First of all Gov. Blagojevich broke the trust with the people of the state of Illinois and he’s in prison where he belongs...I’m proud to have done public service throughout my life. You know, any conversations that I had were about doing public service and any suggestion by Gov. Blagojevich of any contribution I rebuffed."

January 15 candidate forum

On January 15, 2018, four of the declared Democratic candidates and one declared Republican candidate appeared at a candidate forum hosted by the Community Renewal Society. Daniel Biss (D), Bob Daiber (D), Tio Hardiman (D), Jeanne Ives (R), and J.B. Pritzker (D) discussed a variety of issues including rent control, criminal justice, police procedures, and firearms.[128]

January 13 candidate forum

On January 13, 2018, five of the declared Democratic candidates appeared at a candidate forum in Peoria. Daniel Biss, Bob Daiber, Tio Hardiman, Chris Kennedy, and J.B. Pritzker each appeared separately in front of voters to discuss their policy priorities. Biss argued that the state should modify its criminal justice system and argued that inmates should receive more treatment for substance abuse and mental health disorders: "We are so uneven, the extent to which we make appropriate resources available within the system." Daiber discussed his previous experience working with at-risk youth and argued in favor of a proposal he had made to modify the state's income tax structure. Hardiman discussed a proposal to tax the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Board of Options and referred to his previous experience as an anti-violence activist: "You’re not going to reduce gun violence in the community until black people unify — period." Kennedy suggested that the state should modify its school funding system, arguing that "the poor are poor in Illinois largely because they’re undereducated. ... The reason we have bad educational outcomes is that we pay for our schools through local property taxes." Finally, Pritzker called for increased funding for childcare assistance and argued in favor of programs which he suggested would reduce the rate of recidivism among juvenile offenders: "We’re losing too many kids to a life in the system, and that has to end."[129]

December 9 candidate forum

On December 9, 2017, four of the declared Democratic candidates appeared at a candidate forum at the Chicago Temple. Daniel Biss, Tio Hardiman, Chris Kennedy, and J.B. Pritzker outlined their views on economic and healthcare-related issues. Bruce Rauner (R) and Jeanne Ives (R) did not attend. All four candidates called for an increase in the state's minimum wage, while Pritzker and Hardiman called for a statute mandating gender-neutral pay for workers. Biss and Hardiman called for universal healthcare, while Pritzker said that he would explore the implementation of a universal healthcare system if elected. Kennedy argued in favor of increased access to reproductive healthcare.[130]

November 6 candidate forum

On November 6, 2017, four of the declared Democratic candidates appeared at a candidate forum at the University of Illinois. Chris Kennedy, Tio Hardiman, Daniel Biss, and Bob Daiber outlined their views on higher education. J.B. Pritzker, who was the fifth candidate invited to the forum, did not attend.

In his remarks at the forum, Kennedy argued that the state should avoid cutting funding for higher education and called for an emphasis on need-based rather than merit-based scholarships. Hardiman suggested that the state levy new taxes on businesses in order to raise revenue for higher education funding, suggesting that the state should aim to provide free tuition to college students. The call for free tuition was echoed by Biss, who argued that student debt was having a negative impact on society. While he did not call for free tuition, Daiber suggested that the state should consider restructuring student debt in order to ease the burden on recent graduates.[131]

October 17 candidate forum

On October 17, 2017, the six then-declared Democratic candidates appeared at a candidate forum in Aurora. J.B. Pritzker, Chris Kennedy, Tio Hardiman, Bob Daiber, Daniel Biss, and Alex Paterakis discussed the tenure of state Rep. Michael Madigan (D), campaign finance laws, and marijuana. Biss and Kennedy were critical of Madigan, arguing that he had spent too much time as speaker of the state House and that he had too much influence over state politics. Pritzker proposed the introduction of term limits for leadership positions within the legislature. Daiber countered the arguments that his opponents had made against Madigan, asserting that he had been an effective speaker.

The candidates also debated campaign finance laws. Pritzker, whose campaign was largely self-funded at the time of the debate, argued that raising large amounts of money would be a crucial step in defeating sitting Gov. Bruce Rauner (R), who had donated $50 million of his personal finances to his re-election campaign in 2016. Biss countered that Democratic politicians should focus on drawing in supporters rather than on raising money.

On marijuana, Paterakis called for legalization, noting that the cannabis plant could be grown in Illinois and that revenue from the substance's sale could help fund schools. Biss and Kennedy argued in favor of decriminalization, while Daiber called for a referendum to determine the state's stance rather than legislative action. Hardiman was opposed to legalization, citing the impacts of addiction.[132][133]

Media coverage

This section provides an overview of media coverage of the election from within Illinois and across the country. In selecting articles for inclusion in this section, Ballotpedia has drawn from a variety of sources and viewpoints to identify articles that are representative of broader trends in media coverage. Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that have emerged surrounding the election. Click here for an overview of media coverage of the general election and here for an overview of media coverage of the Republican primary.

  • Natasha Korecki, Politico (December 7, 2017):
"But Biss said there is an inevitability argument behind Pritzker that is reminiscent of the 2016 presidential primary — still a sensitive topic among Democrats. In that contest, he said, the party snuffed out the energy behind Sanders, which ultimately backfired on Clinton and factored into Donald Trump’s surprise victory.
Pritzker’s campaign is quick to provide data suggesting that he isn’t taking the primary for granted. Pritzker has already visited 46 counties; made more than 220 stops outside of Chicago’s Cook County; taken part in more than 40 forums and multicandidate events; attended dozens of festivals; marched in more than 14 parades; and visited two dozen social service agencies across the state."[134]
  • Rich Miller, Crain's Chicago Business (October 20, 2017):
"Is it over? No. The primary isn't until March. With 36 percent of Democrats currently undecided, somebody could still make this a race—but that somebody is gonna have to run a better campaign than they are now. And right now, the only person running a full-on campaign operation is Pritzker."[135]

Past elections

2014

See also: Illinois gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014

Pat Quinn ran for re-election as governor of Illinois in the 2014 election. Quinn and his running mate, Paul Vallas, defeated the ticket of Tio Hardiman and Brunell Donald by a 43.8 percent margin in the Democratic primary election.[136]

Governor and Lt. Governor of Illinois, Democratic Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngPat Quinn & Paul Vallas Incumbent 71.9% 321,818
Tio Hardiman & Brunell Donald 28.1% 125,500
Total Votes 447,318
Election results via Illinois State Board of Elections.


State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Illinois heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

  • Democrats controlled both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly. They had a 67-51 majority in the state House and a 37-22 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

  • Illinois was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Bruce Rauner (R) served as governor, while Democrats controlled the state legislature.

2018 elections

See also: Illinois elections, 2018

Illinois held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Illinois
 IllinoisU.S.
Total population:12,839,047316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):55,5193,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:72.3%73.6%
Black/African American:14.3%12.6%
Asian:5%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:16.5%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:87.9%86.7%
College graduation rate:32.3%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$57,574$53,889
Persons below poverty level:16.8%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Illinois.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, Illinois' three largest cities were Chicago (pop. est. 2.7 million), Aurora (pop. est. 200,000), and Joliet (pop. est. 150,000).[137][138]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Illinois from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Illinois every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Illinois 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 55.8% Republican Party Donald Trump 38.8% 17.0%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 57.6% Republican Party Mitt Romney 40.7% 16.9%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 61.9% Republican Party John McCain 36.8% 25.1%
2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 54.8% Republican Party George W. Bush 44.5% 10.3%
2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 54.6% Republican Party George W. Bush 42.6% 12.0%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Illinois from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Illinois 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Tammy Duckworth 54.9% Republican Party Mark Kirk 39.8% 15.1%
2014 Democratic Party Dick Durbin 53.5% Republican Party Jim Oberweis 42.7% 10.8%
2010 Republican Party Mark Kirk 48.0% Democratic Party Alexander Giannoulias 46.4% 1.6%
2008 Democratic Party Dick Durbin 67.8% Republican Party Steve Sauerberg 28.5% 39.3%
2004 Democratic Party Barack Obama 70.0% Republican Party Alan Keyes 27.0% 43.0%
2002 Democratic Party Dick Durbin 60.3% Republican Party Jim Durkin 38.0% 22.3%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Illinois.

Election results (Governor), Illinois 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Bruce Rauner 50.3% Democratic Party Pat Quinn 46.3% 4.0%
2010 Democratic Party Pat Quinn 46.8% Republican Party Bill Brady 45.9% 0.9%
2006 Democratic Party Rod Blagojevich 49.8% Republican Party Judy Baar Topinka 39.3% 10.5%
2002 Democratic Party Rod Blagojevich 52.2% Republican Party Jim Ryan 45.1% 7.1%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Illinois in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Illinois 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 7 38.9% Democratic Party 11 61.1% D+4
2014 Republican Party 8 44.4% Democratic Party 10 55.6% D+2
2012 Republican Party 6 33.3% Democratic Party 12 66.7% D+6
2010 Republican Party 11 57.9% Democratic Party 8 42.1% R+3
2008 Republican Party 7 36.8% Democratic Party 12 63.2% D+5
2006 Republican Party 9 47.4% Democratic Party 10 52.6% D+1
2004 Republican Party 9 47.4% Democratic Party 10 52.6% D+1
2002 Republican Party 10 52.6% Democratic Party 9 47.4% R+1
2000 Republican Party 10 50.0% Democratic Party 10 50.0% Even

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Illinois Party Control: 1992-2025
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D
Senate D R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
House D D D R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Eleven of 102 Illinois counties—10.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. These are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Alexander County, Illinois 8.30% 13.65% 12.62%
Carroll County, Illinois 26.69% 1.49% 4.81%
Fulton County, Illinois 14.93% 11.04% 21.33%
Henderson County, Illinois 28.43% 12.25% 17.67%
Henry County, Illinois 20.99% 3.08% 7.74%
Jo Daviess County, Illinois 14.64% 1.16% 10.49%
Knox County, Illinois 2.91% 17.37% 19.89%
Mercer County, Illinois 20.36% 7.39% 11.91%
Putnam County, Illinois 19.92% 1.82% 15.64%
Warren County, Illinois 16.50% 5.47% 8.08%
Whiteside County, Illinois 6.18% 17.02% 17.56%

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Illinois with 55.8 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 38.8 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Illinois voted Republican 50 percent of the time and Democratic 50 percent of the time. Illinois voted Democratic in all five elections from 2000 to 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Illinois. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[139][140]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 75 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 39.2 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 76 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 42.1 points. Clinton won 13 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 43 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 15 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 42 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 22.1 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Illinois governor Democratic primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Illinois gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (March 20 Democratic primary) - Google News

See also

Illinois State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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Illinois State Executive Offices
Illinois State Legislature
Illinois Courts
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016
Illinois elections: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Associated Press, "Billionaire businessman JB Pritzker wins Democratic primary for Illinois governor," March 20, 2018
  2. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Governors Overview: Six Months Out," June 15, 2018
  3. ↑ Mother Jones, "These 7 primary fights will shape the future of the Democratic Party," January 10, 2018
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chicago Tribune, "J.B. Pritzker joins Illinois governor race, facing big Democratic field to take on Rauner," April 6, 2017
  5. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Rauner, Pritzker spent more than $100 per vote to win Illinois governor primaries," April 17, 2018
  6. ↑ WMAY, "Terry Getz removed from ballot for governor," December 20, 2017
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Chicago Maroon, "Endorsement: Daniel Biss is a solid progressive pick for governor," March 17, 2018
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Quad-City Times, "Endorsement: Pritzker is Dems' best choice," March 15, 2018
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Chicago Tribune, "Morning Spin: Pritzker, Kennedy, Biss have grand finale primary debate tonight," March 14, 2018
  10. ↑ Capitol Fax/We Ask America, "Statewide Democratic poll results," accessed March 19, 2018
  11. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "State Sen. Daniel Biss announces Democratic bid for governor," March 20, 2017
  12. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "The Issues," accessed December 13, 2017
  13. ↑ CNN, "Chris Kennedy, RFK's son, joins Illinois governor race," February 9, 2017
  14. ↑ Kennedy for Illinois, "Let's stand up, together," accessed December 13, 2017
  15. ↑ J.B. Pritzker, "Home," accessed December 13, 2017
  16. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Editorial: Yes, we endorsed them, but their spending is hurting our democracy," March 21, 2018
  17. ↑ The Atlantic, "Democrats bet on a billionaire in Illinois," March 21, 2018
  18. ↑ Associated Press, "Takeaways from Illinois primary: Big money, party splits," March 21, 2018
  19. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named illinoissunshine
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Crain's Chicago Business, "J.B. Pritzker collects senators' support," December 8, 2017
  21. ↑ Kennedy for Illinois, "SUN-TIMES: KENNEDY LANDS ENDORSEMENT FROM DANNY K. DAVIS," November 21, 2017
  22. ↑ Illinois Capitol Fax, "Quigley endorses Pritzker," October 30, 2017
  23. ↑ Week.com, "Bustos endorses JB Pritzker for governor," October 9, 2017
  24. ↑ Belleville News-Democrat, "Former congressman Jerry Costello makes endorsement in Democratic gubernatorial race," October 4, 2017
  25. ↑ WSIL 3, "EXCLUSIVE: Former Illinois congressman Glenn Poshard endorses J.B. Pritzker for governor," September 21, 2017
  26. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "CONGRESSWOMAN ROBIN KELLY ENDORSES DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR," August 17, 2017
  27. ↑ NBC Chicago, "Congressman Bobby Rush Endorses Chris Kennedy for Illinois Governor," June 19, 2017
  28. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "ADLAI STEVENSON III ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," January 18, 2018
  29. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "LES LEOPOLD ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," January 6, 2018
  30. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "LAWRENCE LESSIG ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," November 28, 2017
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 JB for Governor, "Legislative leaders unite behind JB Pritzker," March 16, 2018
  32. ↑ Biss Wallace for Illinois, "Who's on Team Biss?" accessed March 17, 2018
  33. ↑ NBC Chicago, "J.B. Pritzker Lands High-Profile Endorsement From Sen. Toi Hutchinson," February 18, 2018
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 34.4 34.5 Kennedy for Illinois, "#StandwithKennedy," accessed March 17, 2018
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 35.5 Belleville News-Democrat, "Democratic metro-east legislators announce their choice for governor," December 18, 2017
  36. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "WILL DAVIS ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," December 15, 2017
  37. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "STATE SENATOR BILL CUNNINGHAM ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," December 8, 2017
  38. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "STATE REP. THERESA MAH ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," December 5, 2017
  39. ↑ GoPride, "Rep. Harris endorses Pritzker for governor," December 2, 2017
  40. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "STATE SENATOR LAURA MURPHY ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," November 17, 2017
  41. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "CAROL AMMONS IS JOINING OUR FIGHT," November 15, 2017
  42. ↑ The News-Gazette, "UPDATE: Ammons, Frerichs endorse different gubernatorial candidates," November 15, 2017
  43. ↑ Illinois Channel, "JB Pritzker is Endorsed by Sen Andy Manar for Governor," November 10, 2017
  44. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "SENATOR JOHN MULROE ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," November 10, 2017
  45. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "SENATOR DON HARMON ENDORSES DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR," November 3, 2017
  46. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "ANN WILLIAMS ENDORSES DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR," October 23, 2017
  47. ↑ The State Journal-Register, "Pritzker picks up endorsement from Mendoza in governor’s race," September 27, 2017
  48. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "STEVE STADELMAN ENDORSES DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR," September 19, 2017
  49. ↑ Quad-City Times, "House endorses Pritzker," September 13, 2017
  50. ↑ Twitter, "Donna Miller," August 26, 2017
  51. ↑ Capitol Fax, "Sheila Simon endorses Biss," August 25, 2017
  52. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Pritzker nabs another endorsement: Secretary of State Jesse White," August 23, 2017
  53. ↑ August 8, 2017, "SENATOR PAT MCGUIRE ENDORSES DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR," August 8, 2017
  54. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "STATE SENATOR OMAR AQUINO ENDORSES DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR," July 21, 2017
  55. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "STATE SENATOR DAVID KOEHLER ENDORSES DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR," July 6, 2017
  56. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "STATE REPRESENTATIVE KELLY CASSIDY ENDORSES DANIEL," June 28, 2017
  57. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "STATE REPRESENTATIVE WILL GUZZARDI ENDORSES DANIEL," June 16, 2017
  58. ↑ Biss Wallace for Illinois, "Daniel Biss announces endorsement of Alderwoman Sue Sadlowski Garza," February 12, 2018
  59. ↑ Facebook, "Debra Shore," accessed March 17, 2018
  60. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "County Board President Toni Preckwinkle endorses J.B. Pritzker for governor," February 7, 2018
  61. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "DICK SIMPSON ENDORSES DANIEL BISS, HOSTS FACEBOOK LIVE TO DISCUSS GOOD GOVERNMENT REFORMS," December 12, 2017
  62. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "CHICAGO ALDERMAN SCOTT WAGUESPACK ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," November 29, 2017
  63. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "CHICAGO ALDERMAN ROBERTO MALDONADO ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," November 20, 2017
  64. ↑ 64.0 64.1 Illinois Capitol Fax, "Dem candidates announce endorsements," November 14, 2017
  65. ↑ 65.0 65.1 Biss for Illinois, "CHICAGO ALDERMAN JOHN ARENA ENDORSES DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR," November 7, 2017
  66. ↑ Kennedy for Illinois, "JESUS “CHUY” GARCIA ENDORSES KENNEDY FOR GOVERNOR," September 28, 2017
  67. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "TARI RENNER ENDORSES DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR," July 26, 2017
  68. ↑ JB for Governor, "In the News: Shaw Media endorses JB Pritzker for governor," March 14, 2018
  69. ↑ 69.0 69.1 69.2 Biss Wallace for Illinois, "Multiple Indivisible Chicago neighborhood groups endorse Daniel Biss," March 13, 2018
  70. ↑ The Columbia Chronicle, "Gubernatorial endorsement: Daniel Biss is the governor Illinois needs," March 12, 2018
  71. ↑ The Daily Northwestern, "Editorial: For governor, vote Biss. More importantly, just vote." March 9, 2018
  72. ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Editorial: Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrat J.B. Pritzker are our choices in the Illinois gubernatorial primary," March 8, 2018
  73. ↑ Peoria Journal Star, "Endorsement: Kennedy for governor, Democrats," March 2, 2018
  74. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "ENDORSEMENT: J.B. Pritzker and the future of Illinois," February 25, 2018
  75. ↑ The News-Gazette, "For the Democrats: Chris Kennedy," February 25, 2018
  76. ↑ The Pantagraph, "Pantagraph endorsement: Biss is best choice among Democrats," February 25, 2018
  77. ↑ Facebook, "Berwyn United on February 22, 2018," accessed March 17, 2018
  78. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "City Council veterans caucus endorses Pritzker, urges reforms," February 22, 2018
  79. ↑ Capitol Fax, "National 'Our Revolution' endorses Biss," February 22, 2018
  80. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "For the Democrats, Chris Kennedy," February 21, 2018
  81. ↑ Biss Wallace for Illinois, "Sierra Club endorses Daniel Biss for Illinois governor," February 20, 2018
  82. ↑ Daily Herald, "Endorsement: Kennedy for governor in Democratic primary," February 16, 2018
  83. ↑ Common Dreams, "People’s Action and Reclaim Chicago Endorse Daniel Biss for Illinois Governor," February 15, 2018
  84. ↑ Facebook, "Illini Democrats on February 8, 2018," accessed March 17, 2018
  85. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "DANIEL BISS EARNS ENDORSEMENT OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS ILLINOIS," February 7, 2018
  86. ↑ Crain's Chicago Business, "Gay rights group singles out Pritzker," February 6, 2018
  87. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "DANIEL BISS RECEIVES THE ENDORSEMENT OF BLACKROOTS RESISTANCE," January 30, 2018
  88. ↑ NBC Chicago, "Biss Lands Major Progressive Group's Endorsement," January 29, 2018
  89. ↑ CBS Chicago, "Planned Parenthood Endorses Three For Governor," January 25, 2018
  90. ↑ WVIK, "Daniel Biss Lands MoveOn.org Endorsement For Illinois Governor," January 25, 2018
  91. ↑ 91.0 91.1 Daniel Biss for Governor, "NATIONAL NURSES UNITED AND RECLAIM CHICAGO ENDORSE DANIEL BISS FOR GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS," January 22, 2018
  92. ↑ Evanston Now, "DPOE Endorses Biss for Governor," January 22, 2018
  93. ↑ The Daily Northwestern, "New Trier Democrats endorse Biss for governor," January 15, 2018
  94. ↑ Capitol Fax, "Personal PAC endorses Pritzker," January 11, 2018
  95. ↑ NBC Chicago, "Illinois Education Association Endorsing Pritzker for Governor," January 10, 2018
  96. ↑ Capitol Fax, "IFT endorses Pritzker," December 9, 2017
  97. ↑ Biss Wallace for Illinois, "Northside DFA overwhelmingly endorses Daniel Biss," November 9, 2017
  98. ↑ Biss for Illinois, "THE INDO-AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION ENDORSES DANIEL BISS," November 6, 2017
  99. ↑ Labor Tribune, "Pritzker adds Laborers’ endorsement, promotes jobs plan," September 25, 2017
  100. ↑ Kennedy for Illinois, "ARAB DAILY NEWS: AMERICAN ARABS ENDORSE KENNEDY FOR GOVERNOR," September 15, 2017
  101. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Pritzker endorsed by Cook County Democrats," August 11, 2017
  102. ↑ Facebook, "Champaign County Young Democrats on July 31, 2017," accessed March 17, 2018
  103. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Illinois labor group endorses Pritzker, cementing Democratic front-runner status," June 6, 2017
  104. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Morning Spin: Union that endorsed Democrat J.B. Pritzker gives Conservative Party candidate Sam McCann nearly $80K," accessed July 13, 2018
  105. ↑ Belleville News-Democrat, "St. Clair County Democrats endorse Pritzker in governor’s race," May 9, 2017
  106. ↑ Kennedy for Illinois, "KENNEDY RECEIVES ENDORSEMENT OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS DEMOCRATIC COUNTY CHAIRMEN’S ASSOCIATION," March 1, 2017
  107. ↑ The Daily Northwestern, "State Sen. Daniel Biss releases campaign finance report, supports immigration bill," April 5, 2017
  108. ↑ Kennedy for Illinois, "Immigration," accessed December 11, 2017
  109. ↑ Negocios Now, "Governor hopeful JB Pritzker talks immigration, small businesses and Chicago violence," accessed December 11, 2017
  110. ↑ 110.0 110.1 Chicago Reader, "Most Democratic gubernatorial candidates favor some form of legal weed in Illinois," May 30, 2017
  111. ↑ Twitter, "Daniel Biss," accessed August 9, 2017
  112. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Democratic candidate Kennedy assails party leaders with government, elections proposals," October 19, 2017
  113. ↑ Capitol Fax, "*** UPDATED x1 - ILGOP responds *** Pritzker responds to “The Madigan Question” by saying he favors term limits for legislative leaders," October 18, 2017
  114. ↑ Our Quad Cities, "State Senator Daniel Biss holds town hall with college students," March 23, 2017
  115. ↑ Kennedy for Illinois, "Education," accessed December 11, 2017
  116. ↑ The News-Gazette, "Gubernatorial candidate pushes for progressive tax in visit to UI," April 18, 2017
  117. ↑ NBC Chicago, "Rauner to Air Nearly 15-Minute Ad of Rival, Blagojevich on Wiretap," January 18, 2018
  118. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Democratic debate: Kennedy wouldn't want daughters interning in Springfield, cites sexual harassment culture," March 2, 2018
  119. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Democratic debate: Kennedy says Pritzker used 'the language of racists' on Blagojevich call," March 2, 2018
  120. ↑ Chicago Daily Herald, "Democrats for governor largely focus on Rauner, Trump," February 21, 2018
  121. ↑ The State Journal-Register, "Biss, Pritzker clash at Springfield debate," February 21, 2018
  122. ↑ Governing, "At Democrats' Debate for Illinois Governor, Candidates Clash Over Who's a Bigger Madigan Ally," February 22, 2018
  123. ↑ Daily Herald, "Democratic governor candidates make pitches to southern Illinois voters," January 30, 2018
  124. ↑ The Southern Illinoisian, "Illinois Democratic governor candidates participate in forum at SIUC," January 31, 2018
  125. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Pritzker-Biss rivalry emerges at first televised Democratic governor debate," January 24, 2018
  126. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Pritzker bears brunt of attacks at Democratic governor forum over property tax breaks, Blagojevich wiretaps," January 22, 2018
  127. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Democrats spar over Blagojevich, black exodus and big bucks in Sun-Times forum," January 18, 2018
  128. ↑ Facebook, "Community Renewal Society," accessed January 18, 2018
  129. ↑ Journal Star, "Democratic governor candidates square off in Peoria forum," January 13, 2018
  130. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Democratic candidates for governor gather for women’s forum," December 9, 2017
  131. ↑ The News-Gazette, "Dems vying for governor outline views on college funding at UI forum," November 7, 2017
  132. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Dem gov. debate: Kennedy, Biss bash Madigan; Pritzker won't say if it's time for speaker to go," October 18, 2017
  133. ↑ Daily Herald, "Democrats running for governor hit Rauner, differ on marijuana, minimum wage at forum," October 18, 2017
  134. ↑ Politico, "Illinois governor's race haunted by 2016 presidential primary," December 7, 2017
  135. ↑ Crain's Chicago Business, "Is Dem primary over? No, but Pritzker rivals need to pick up pace." October 20, 2017
  136. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results - General Primary, March 18, 2014," accessed September 18, 2017
  137. ↑ Illinois Demographics, "Illinois Cities by Population," accessed December 11, 2017
  138. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Illinois," accessed December 11, 2017
  139. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  140. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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