Updated on: March 17, 2026 / 9:59 PM EDT / CBS Chicago
CBS News projects Republican Darren Bailey as the winner of the 2026 Illinois GOP gubernatorial primary, which sets up a rematch with incumbent Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the general election. Pritzker faced no opposition in the Democratic primary and is seeking a third term with Christian Mitchell as his running mate, after Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton launched a campaign for Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat.
Pritzker has increased his national visibility in recent years as a frequent critic of former President Donald Trump. In March he ran an ad condemning last fall’s federal immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, known as Operation Midway Blitz. In his victory remarks, Pritzker blasted what he described as corrupt and hateful forces controlling Washington and accused federal officials of deploying armed personnel in Illinois in ways that frightened residents, while praising Illinoisans for resisting those actions when other states ‘‘capitulated.’’
Bailey, a farmer and former state representative and senator from southern Illinois, picked Cook County Republican Party Chairman Aaron Del Mar as his running mate. He first became prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic by opposing statewide mask mandates. Bailey won the Republican nomination in 2022 but was defeated by Pritzker in the general election by about 13 percentage points, and he also lost a 2024 Republican primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Mike Bost.
Bailey has criticized Pritzker’s economic record, blaming the governor for rising costs and calling him out as a wealthy politician disconnected from the consequences of his policies.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.