Illinois governor's race: Who is running to challenge JB Pritzker?

CHICAGO - Voters in Illinois will be going to the polls this year to elect officials for local, state, and federal positions, including governor.

Gov. JB Pritzker is running for a third term in office, something the state hasn’t seen since Republican Jim Thompson was elected to four consecutive terms between 1977 and 1991.

But several Republicans have lined up in the GOP primary for the party's nomination and the right to take on Pritzker in the November general election.

The primary election in Illinois is set for March 17.

Here is a look at the candidates running for governor of Illinois:

Gov. JB Pritzker (D)

Pritzker’s first two terms in office were marked by passing several progressive pieces of legislation, improving the state’s financial standing, navigating the COVID-19 crisis and clashing with President Donald Trump, especially during the controversial Operation Midway Blitz in the Chicago area.

The governor’s profile has risen nationally, and now the billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune is routinely listed among the most likely potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028.

But before he officially enters the race for the White House, Pritzker will likely be in prime position to win another term as governor. He handily won re-election in 2022 during a year when Republicans were expected to do well with the unpopular President Joe Biden in office.

In 2026 though, it’s Democrats who are expected to bounce back after losing to Trump and the GOP in 2024. Pritzker is also earning relatively high ratings from Illinois voters, a recent poll found.

All that could make for little doubt that whoever wins the Republican nomination, it will be difficult to beat the sitting governor.

The current lieutenant governor, Juliana Stratton, is running for the state's open U.S. Senate seat, so Pritzker chose Christian Mitchell, a former state representative and deputy governor, as his running mate for this election.

Still, several Republican candidates are lining up to compete for the chance to take him on. Here is a look at his potential general election opponents.

Darren Bailey (R)

The farmer and former state senator is again vying for the opportunity to challenge Pritzker in 2026.

Darren Bailey won the Republican nomination for governor in 2022, but lost to Pritzker by more than 12 percentage points. While Bailey won the vast majority of downstate and less populated counties, he lost to Pritzker by large margins in Cook County and other suburban communities with large populations.

Bailey has a history of harshly criticizing Chicago and its leadership, but this time around, he’s taking a different approach to attract more voters in the Chicago area. He picked Cook County Republican Party Chair Aaron Del Mar as his running mate.

Bailey runs a farm near Effingham in southern Illinois. He was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2018, then to the State Senate in 2020, and served until 2023.

In October, four members of his family, including his son, were killed in a helicopter crash in Montana. In December, Bailey announced he would stay in the race for governor and said President Trump encouraged him to "keep fighting."

Ted Dabrowski (R)

Ted Dabrowski used to lead a research publication called Wirepoints.org, which advocates for conservative policies in Illinois.

The Wilmette resident previously led the Illinois Policy Institute, a conservative think tank, and spent several years working in banking.

His running mate is Dr. Carrie Mendoza, an emergency medicine physician from Chicago’s north suburbs.

James Mendrick (R)

James Mendrick has served as the sheriff in west suburban DuPage County since 2018. 

Mendrick touts his work to combat the opioid crisis, including helping institute treatment for inmates at the DuPage County Jail.

He said on his campaign website that he’s running to end "soft-on-crime" policies in the state like no cash bail. He also wants to work with federal immigration authorities to remove "criminal migrants," although state law limits how local police can cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

His running mate is Robert Renteria, a U.S. Army veteran and author of books and curricula to help educate students.

Rick Heidner (R)

Heidner is a real estate developer and the founder of a company that offers video gaming terminals.

He runs Heidner Properties with his family. They own and manage more than 280 commercial properties across the U.S., according to the company website.

In 2019, the Chicago Tribune reported that Heidner had business ties to a banking family involved with mob figures.

Capitol News Illinois also reported that Heidner has contributed money to both Republican and Democratic campaigns, including former Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin’s 2022 campaign for governor, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon.

Joe Severino (R)

Severino is a small business owner and Cicero native whose main proposals are to lower taxes and improve the state’s fiscal standing.

Gregg Moore (R)

Moore is a multi-time gubernatorial candidate in Illinois. No campaign website was listed for him on the Illinois State Board of Elections.