2026 Illinois gubernatorial election
{{Short description|American state election}}
{{for|related races|2026 United States gubernatorial elections}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2026 Illinois gubernatorial election
| country = Illinois
| type = presidential
| ongoing = yes
| previous_election = 2022 Illinois gubernatorial election
| previous_year = 2022
| next_election = 2030 Illinois gubernatorial election
| next_year = 2030
| election_date = November 3, 2026
| image1 =
| nominee1 =
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| running_mate1 =
| popular_vote1 =
| percentage1 =
| image2 =
| nominee2 =
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| running_mate2 =
| popular_vote2 =
| percentage2 =
| map_size = 200px
| map_caption = County results
| title = Governor
| before_election = JB Pritzker
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election =
| after_party =
}}
The 2026 Illinois gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the Governor of Illinois. This election will coincide with various other federal and state elections, including the U.S. Senate elections and U.S. House elections.
Incumbent governor JB Pritzker was re-elected with 54.9% of the vote in 2022. Because Illinois does not have gubernatorial term limits, he is eligible to run for re-election to a third term and has publicly expressed interest in doing so.{{cite news |last1=Kapos |first1=Shia |date=August 20, 2024 |title=DNC's dramatic Day One |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinoisplaybook |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823075440/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinoisplaybook |archive-date=August 23, 2024 |access-date=August 20, 2024 |work=Politico |quote=During the Illinois breakfast meeting, Pritzker hinted at a third term, saying his wife, MK Pritzker, would be the decider}}
Background
A moderately to strongly blue state, Illinois has a reputation for being both the most populous and the most left-leaning state in the Midwest, traits vastly owed to the progressive and diverse Chicago metropolitan area. Though the state has historically favored Republicans for governor, Democrats have won all but one gubernatorial race in Illinois since 2002, the exception being Bruce Rauner's narrow victory in 2014.{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=2014 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Illinois |url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2014&fips=17&f=0&off=5&elect=0 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250404104935/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=17&year=2014&f=0&off=5&elect=0 |archive-date=2025-04-04 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=uselectionatlas.org}} In addition, Democrats have won Illinois by double-digit margins in every presidential race since 1992; and consistently occupied all of its statewide offices since 2019.
Incumbent Governor JB Pritzker, a member of the Democratic Party, has comfortably won in the past two elections, having first been elected with a 15.6% lead in 2018{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=2018 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Illinois |url=https://uselectionatlas.org/results/state.php?year=2018&fips=17&f=0&off=5&elect=0 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240520050528/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=17&year=2018&f=0&off=5&elect=0 |archive-date=2024-05-20 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=uselectionatlas.org}} and won re-election by 12.5% in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=2022 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Illinois |url=https://uselectionatlas.org/results/state.php?year=2022&fips=17&f=0&off=5&elect=0 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240419033643/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=17&year=2022&f=0&off=5&elect=0 |archive-date=2024-04-19 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=uselectionatlas.org}} Despite the state's strong Democratic lean, Republicans are comfortably favored in most of rural Illinois, especially in much of West Central and Southern Illinois.
Democratic primary
= Candidates =
== Publicly expressed interest ==
- JB Pritzker, incumbent governor (2019–present){{cite news |last1=Kapos |first1=Shia |title=Pritzker’s tense call with Schumer |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/01/30/pritzkers-tense-meeting-with-schumer-00201477 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |work=Politico |date=January 30, 2025 |quote=Pritzker was asked by a reporter if he would seek a third term...'I have to make a decision over the next few months,' he said. |language=en}}
== Potential ==
- Rahm Emanuel, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan (2022–2025) and former mayor of Chicago (2011–2019){{cite news |last1=Sweet |first1=Lynn |date=23 November 2024 |title=What's next for Rahm Emanuel? |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/11/21/rahm-emanuel-japan-ambassador-democratic-national-committee-chair-durbin-pritzker |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=Chicago Sun-Times}}
Republican primary
= Candidates =
== Declared ==
- James Mendrick, DuPage County Sheriff (2018–present){{cite news |date=February 27, 2025 |title=DuPage Co. Sheriff James Mendrick to run for governor of Illinois |url=https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-elections-2026-dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-announces-candidacy-governor/15959495/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250310191907/https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-elections-2026-dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-announces-candidacy-governor/15959495/ |archive-date=March 10, 2025 |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=WLS-TV |language=en}}
- Running mate: Robert Renteria, author and businessman{{cite press release |title=Dr. Robert Renteria Announced as Illinois Lt. Governor Pick by Sherif James Mendrick |date=March 14, 2025 |publisher=PR Newswire |location=Chicago |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dr-robert-renteria-announced-illinois-100000049.html |via=Yahoo News |access-date=March 17, 2025}}
- Joseph Severino, capital management professional and nominee for {{ushr|IL|10}} in 2022{{Cite news |last=Rice |first=Max |title=Republican Joseph Severino Enters the Governor’s Race |url=https://www.illinoisrecord.com/p/republican-joseph-severino-enters |access-date=April 22, 2025 |date=April 18, 2025 |work=Illinois Record |language=en}}
== Publicly expressed interest ==
- Aaron Del Mar, Palatine Township Highway Commissioner, former chair of the Cook County Republican Party, and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022{{cite news |last1=Barker |first1=Catrina |title=Del Mar teases run for 'higher office,' sparking 2026 Illinois governor speculation |url=https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_69d594d6-e7c2-11ef-b535-b39343671dce.html |access-date=February 10, 2025 |work=The Center Square |date=February 10, 2025}}
- Richard Porter, former member of the Republican National Committee and the Illinois State Police Merit Board
== Potential ==
- Jeanne Ives, former state representative, candidate for governor in 2018, and nominee for {{ushr|IL|6}} in 2020{{cite news|last=Pfingsten|first=Patrick|title=GOP Field for Governor in 2026 Slow to Develop|date=January 28, 2025|newspaper=The Illinoize|access-date=January 30, 2025|url=https://www.theillinoize.com/articles/gop-field-governor-2026-slow}}{{cite news |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=February 28, 2025 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/27/dupage-county-sheriff-james-mendrick-running-for-governor/ |date=February 27, 2025 |author=Pearson, Rick |title=DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick seeking GOP bid for Illinois governor in 2026}}
- Blaine Wilhour, state representative{{Cite AV media|first=Greg |last=Bishop |title=Illinois in Focus: Is Pritzker running for a third term as Illinois governor or for president? |website=The Center Square |date=March 17, 2025 |via=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_HMskrvrrI&t=7m16s}}
General election
=Predictions=
| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
!Source !Ranking !As of |
| align=left | The Cook Political Report{{cite web |title=2026 CPR Governor Race ratings |url=https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/governor-race-ratings |website=Cook Political Report |access-date=January 23, 2025 |language=en}}
| {{USRaceRating|Solid|D}} | January 23, 2025 |
| align=left | Inside Elections{{Cite web |title=Gubernatorial Ratings |url=https://insideelections.com/ratings/governor |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=Inside Elections |language=en}}
| {{USRaceRating|Solid|D}} | February 6, 2025 |
See also
References
External links
;Official campaign websites
- [https://www.mendrick4governor2026.com/ James Mendrick (R) for Governor]
{{Illinois elections}}
{{2026 United States elections}}