Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker wins third term, defeats Darren Bailey again, AP projects
CHICAGO - Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker won a third term in office after defeating Republican Darren Bailey for the second time in Tuesday’s midterm election.
It’s a rare feat in Illinois as no governor has won a third term since Republican Jim Thompson did so in the 1980s. State law does not impose a term limit on the governor’s office.
What they're saying:
"Throughout his two terms, Governor Pritzker has worked tirelessly to lower costs, expand healthcare access, defend workers’ rights, safeguard reproductive healthcare, and so much more," Pritzker's campaign manager Chris Shallow said in a statement. "Thanks to his leadership, Illinois remains a beacon of freedom in the Midwest and across the country, even as the president and GOP wreak havoc and harm on the American people. Tonight’s decisive victory demonstrates that Illinoisans wholeheartedly reject the Trump administration’s cruelty and want to keep Illinois moving forward. Governor Pritzker is ready to build on the progress he has already achieved and knows that Christian Mitchell will be an extraordinary partner in that work."
What we know:
Still, the outcome itself was not surprising considering Illinois had not elected a Republican governor since 2014, and Pritzker maintained both a strong polling and fundraising advantage over Bailey. Plus, nationally, Democrats were expected to perform well in the midterm elections as President Donald Trump’s poll numbers have reached new lows.
One key change for Pritzker during this reelection bid was his running mate, Christian Mitchell, who will become the next lieutenant governor of Illinois. Pritzker's current second-in-command is Juliana Stratton, who is expected to win her campaign for the open U.S. Senate seat held by Dick Durbin. Mitchell is a former state legislator, has served as deputy governor and is a reserve officer in the Illinois Air National Guard, according to his campaign biography.
Bailey, a farmer from downstate Xenia who served a term in both the state House and Senate, has now lost two gubernatorial bids against Pritzker. He previously lost in 2022 to Pritzker by a 12-point margin. Bailey also lost in 2024 when he challenged U.S. Rep. Mike Bost for his congressional seat representing the 12th District, which spans much of southern Illinois.
Illinois governor election results
And now onto 2028?
What's next:
While Pritzker’s victory on Tuesday was no surprise, it's unclear whether he will attempt to parlay his win and record into a run for the presidency in 2028.
While he hasn’t polled exceptionally well in very early polls of potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic nomination, Pritzker could be a formidable candidate considering his wealth, pegged at around $4 billion by Forbes, and successful track record in Springfield.
The governor has also been seen traveling the country in support of Democrats in state and federal races, including spending on ads for candidates facing "MAGA Republicans" in states like Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and New Mexico with his "Ready for the Fight" political action committee. He’s also donated directly to candidates like Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Texas.
All of that support could be seen as him laying the groundwork for a national campaign, creating allies around the country. But Pritzker has deflected questions about his political future thus far.
It remains to be seen what steps he’ll take next. Still, if recent presidential cycles are any indication, major candidates will likely start announcing their presidential bids in the first half of next year, maybe sooner.
Pritzker’s tenure in Springfield
The backstory:
After a career in business and philanthropy, Pritzker, 61, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, was first elected governor in 2018. He defeated incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who, with a Democratic legislature, oversaw a two-year budget impasse that significantly hampered the state government's finances and credit rating.
Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers then got to work passing a series of progressive laws and programs, including gradually raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, a $50 billion infrastructure program that also increased the state’s gas tax, the legalization of recreational marijuana, and codification of abortion rights.
He also became a constant presence during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when he took measures to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, prompting criticism from Republicans, local officials, and residents. Bailey, then a member of the General Assembly, was one of the most vocal opponents of Pritzker’s approach to managing the pandemic.
Among the most controversial legislative accomplishments of his tenure in Springfield was the 2021 passage of the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act, or SAFE-T Act, which abolished the use of cash bail, limited the types of deadly force police officers could use, and mandated the use of body-worn cameras by officers, among other measures. Critics of the SAFE-T Act have pointed to it often when a high-profile crime occurs, and the suspect involved had a previous criminal charge or conviction on their record. Still, the state, including Chicago, has seen a significant reduction in violent crime since a pandemic-era surge, a trend seen around the country.