What Went Down During The June 28 Primary Elections

The Land of Lincoln is the main event to watch tonight, with 11 different races that we’re keeping an eye on. And unlike many of the other states, where GOP primaries are getting most of the attention, there’s a fair bit of action on both sides of the aisle in Illinois. Here are the contests to watch:

• Governor: The GOP primary has looked less suspenseful in the last couple of weeks, as the Trump-endorsed state Sen. Darren Bailey now appears to be a clear favorite over Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin and venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan. But overall, the race has featured a great deal of funding from wealthy Republican donors, as well as Democratic attacks on Irvin’s candidacy in the hopes of helping Bailey, the more conservative choice. Regardless of who the primary winner is, he will face an uphill fight against Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the general election.

• 1st District: The retirement of Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush has attracted seemingly every ambitious Democrat on the South Side of Chicago, with 17 (!) candidates running in the Democratic primary in this deep-blue, majority-Black seat. Good luck guessing the winner, but a few names to watch are Chicago Alderman Pat Dowell, businessman Jonathan Swain, nonprofit leader Karin Norington-Reaves, state Sen. Jacqueline Collins and businessman Jonathan Jackson (son of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson).

• 3rd District: A newly created, heavily Democratic district in Chicago is plurality Hispanic by voting-age population, and the Democratic primary there will likely decide this district’s eventual winner. That contest looks to be a highly competitive race between Chicago Alderman Gilbert Villegas and state Rep. Delia Ramirez.

• 6th District: Democratic Reps. Sean Casten and Marie Newman face off in one of two incumbent-versus-incumbent primaries in Illinois tonight. This Democratic-leaning seat is located in the Chicago suburbs, and the winner of the Democratic primary will be slightly favored against whoever comes out of the GOP primary, which looks to be a race mainly between two mayors, Gary Grasso of Burr Ridge and Keith Pekau of Orland Park, although attorney Scott Kaspar is also in the mix.
• 7th District: Longtime Democratic Rep. Danny Davis faces a primary rematch with activist Kina Collins, whom he defeated in the 2020 primary. Davis is favored again, but Collins could make it more competitive this time around. Regardless, the primary winner will glide to victory in November in this dark-blue Chicago seat.
• 8th District: Democratic Rep. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi faces a primary challenge from progressive businessman Junaid Ahmed in this suburban seat, but the victor is likely to win in November.
• 11th District: Former Trump administration official Catalina Lauf appears to be the favorite to take on Democratic Rep. Bill Foster in a “reach” seat for Republicans. But she first has to get past small-business owner Jerry Evans in the GOP primary.
• 13th District: This district was redrawn by Democrats in the state Legislature as a blue-leaning seat stretching across south-central Illinois. Democrats have mostly rallied around former Biden administration staffer Nikki Budzinski, but she first has to contend with financial advisor David Palmer in the party primary. The winner will then face the GOP’s choice, who will be either federal prosecutor Jesse Reising or nonprofit president Regan Deering.
• 14th District: Republicans hope the national environment will help them win this light-blue seat in the Chicago exurbs held by Democratic Rep. Lauren Underwood. Four Republicans are locked in a wide-open primary battle, too: Kendall County Board Chair Scott Gryder, conservative radio host Mike Koolidge, businessman Jack Lombardi and Kendall County GOP Chair Jim Marter.
• 15th District: Illinois’s second high-profile incumbent-versus-incumbent primary features Republican Reps. Rodney Davis and Mary Miller in the redrawn 15th District, which is now a deep-red vote sink in south-central Illinois. Miller has Trump’s endorsement and is the more conservative of the two, but Davis is the stronger fundraiser.
• 17th District: Finally, Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos retired from this purplish, northwestern Illinois seat, handing the GOP a juicy opportunity to pick up a seat. Republicans look likely to pick attorney Esther Joy King over insurance broker Charlie Helmick in their primary. And the GOP winner will face whoever comes out of a crowded Democratic primary field including Rockford Alderman Jonathan Logemann, television meteorologist Eric Sorensen and state Rep. Litesa Wallace.