U.S. Congress | 9th District<\/a>: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss won a crowded field that included Kat Abughazaleh, a progressive insurgent, and Laura Fine, a state senator from Glenview.<\/p>\n U.S. Congress | 2nd District<\/a>: Donna Miller, a Cook County Board commissioner, won the Democratic primary and will represent the party in the general election this fall against Republican candidate Michael Noack, who ran unopposed.<\/p>\n Cook County Assessor<\/a>: Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, who held the office for two terms and spent 20 years as a mutual fund portfolio manager and analyst before that, conceded to challenger Pat Hynes<\/p>\n Follow our reporters<\/a>: Journalists and photographers from the Sun-Times and WBEZ will be posting updates on X.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n In 9th Congressional District primary victory speech, Biss says feds\u2019 deportation campaign last fall \u2018changed all of us\u2019\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhen this campaign started, I\u2019d never seen my neighbors abducted, dissenters beaten up on the street,\u201d Biss said. \u201cNever seen kids scared of their own federal government. Never seen a whole community paralyzed because they heard their government was going to be in town that day with their masks and their guns and their helicopters and their SUVs and their thuggery.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019ve all lived through that trauma now, and I think it\u2019s changed all of us. I know it\u2019s changed me, but I have to tell you that the way I have seen this community rise up in response to that is the single most moving, powerful, transformational thing I have ever witnessed in my entire life.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Daniel Biss, Illinois 9th Congressional District Candidate, delivers hers victory speech at his election night watch party at Double Clutch Brewing Company, in Evanston, Tuesday, Mar. 17, 2026.<\/p>\n | Daniel Biss, Illinois 9th Congressional District Candidate, delivers hers victory speech at his election night watch party at Double Clutch Brewing Company, in Evanston, Tuesday, Mar. 17, 2026.<\/p>\n | Daniel Biss, Illinois 9th Congressional District Candidate, delivers hers victory speech at his election night watch party at Double Clutch Brewing Company, in Evanston, Tuesday, Mar. 17, 2026. <\/p>\n | Daniel Biss, Illinois 9th Congressional District Candidate, delivers hers victory speech at his election night watch party at Double Clutch Brewing Company, in Evanston, Tuesday, Mar. 17, 2026.<\/p>\n | <\/p>\n \n Stratton says primary election win shows \u2018what\u2019s possible when you listen to the people\u2019\n <\/p>\n By Tina Sfondeles<\/a>, Amy Yee<\/a><\/p>\n Ill. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton spoke to supporters just after 10 p.m., thanking her family, her supporters and her political allies, including Gov. JB Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who both endorsed her.<\/p>\n \u201cI am humbled and honored to stand before you tonight as your Democratic nominee for United States Senate,\u201d Stratton said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe did it tonight. We showed what\u2019s possible when you listen to the people and give the people what they want.\u201d<\/p>\n She called Pritzker and Duckworth \u201csteadfast partners and friends who have cheered me on and stood by my side day after day.\u201d<\/p>\n Stratton spoke directly to her Senate competitors Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly: \u201cRunning for office is never easy. It requires grit, determination and sacrifice. Thank you for stepping up to run.\u201d<\/p>\n Of the rest of her campaign, Stratton said, \u201cWe\u2019re ready to take our democracy back into our own hands.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Pritzker celebrates Stratton\u2019s Democratic primary win: \u2018Are you ready for the fight?\u2019\n <\/p>\n The crowd cheered as Gov. JB Pritzker took the stage at Stratton\u2019s watch party just after 10 p.m.<\/p>\n \u201cI am so proud that in seven months we get to call her Senator,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people suggested this was personal to me. They were right, it was. I wanted to be there for Juliana in all the ways she was there for me. That\u2019s the best piece of personal and political advice I can give you tonight: Always, always, always show up for the people you love.\u201d Pritzker yelled, \u201cAre you ready for the fight?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Robin Kelly concedes U.S. Senate race to Juliana Stratton\n <\/p>\n By Araceli G\u00f3mez-Aldana | WBEZ<\/a><\/p>\n U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly has conceded, ending her run to become the next U.S. Senator from Illinois. She walked into her election night party to cheers and chants from her supporters. Speaking to the crowd, she said she was proud of the campaign she ran.<\/p>\n \u201cI know I\u2019m on the right side of the issues. What was very important to me when I first started running was I said I have to be able to look at myself in the mirror. I can still look at myself in the mirror,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Kelly thanked her campaign staff and all of her supporters.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes it doesn\u2019t work out and it didn\u2019t work out this time,\u201c Kelly told the crowd. \u201cBut when it didn\u2019t work out for me before when I ran \u2018I said God had another plan and it led me to Congress. So there is another plan for me.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Melissa Bean tells supporters \u2018I\u2019m humbled that you\u2019ve placed your confidence in me again\u2019\n <\/p>\n By Somer Van Benton | WBEZ<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Melissa Bean speaks to supporters after winning the 8th Congressional District primary.<\/p>\n Melissa Bean\u2019s supporters screamed along to \u201cCelebration\u201d by Kool & the Gang after Bean claimed victory in the 8th Congressional District\u2019s Democratic primary race<\/a>, as called by the Associated Press.<\/p>\n \u201cTonight, the voters have spoken,\u201d Bean said. \u201cWhile I\u2019ve been honored to serve as your voice in Congress before, I\u2019m humbled that you\u2019ve placed your confidence in me again as your nominee for Illinois Eighth District of Congress \u2014 thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Bean leaned on work she\u2019d contributed to during her first stint in Congress \u2014 including the passing of the Affordable Care Act and her support of pay equity and workplace protections for women \u2014 as proof that she could get the work done should she win a seat in Congress in November.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Darren Bailey says the loss of his family members inspired his GOP primary victory\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Darren Bailey has his sights set on the November gubernatorial election after winning Tuesday\u2019s GOP primary.<\/p>\n A teary-eyed Darren Bailey says the recent loss of his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren has been immensely hard, but has offered him clarity \u2014 that Illinois \u201cneeds saving.\u201d<\/p>\n Bailey\u2019s four family members will killed in a helicopter crash in Montana last fall. The tragedy loomed over Bailey\u2019s campaign and is felt deeply by the friends and supporters at his watch party in Springfield tonight.<\/p>\n Bailey is a conservative firebrand who lost to Gov. JB Pritzker in 2022. The former GOP state legislator will once again face off against Pritzker, who\u2019s running for a historic third term, in November.<\/p>\n Bailey, in his victory speech, says Illinois has a \u201cleadership problem, and nowhere is that clearer than in property taxes.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Krishnamoorthi concedes U.S. Senate race, urges country to \u2018return to the principles that made us a beacon of freedom and opportunity for the world\u2018\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi suffers a disappointing loss in the U.S. Senate race.<\/p>\n Anthony Vazquez\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n In his concession speech, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi thanked his family and supporters and called the country, \u201cthe greatest country on Earth for giving an immigrant kid and his family the chance to live the American dream.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly in this country could my story, and only in this country could a kid like me serve in the halls of Congress,\u201c Krishnamoorthi said after falling short in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate. \u201cAnd now we must come together as Democrats and as Americans to make sure that we return to the principles that made us a beacon of freedom and opportunity for the world.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n La Shawn K. Ford wins Democratic primary for 7th Congressional District\n <\/p>\n By Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ staff<\/a><\/p>\n La Shawn K. Ford<\/a>, a West Side resident who has served in the Illinois General Assembly since 2007, has won the Democratic primary<\/a> for the 7th Congressional District, the Associated Press said Tuesday night. He\u2019ll be the Democratic nominee this fall to replace longtime Rep. Danny Davis, who announced his retirement last year.<\/p>\n Ford defeated a crowded field including Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, labor leader Anthony Driver Jr. and community organizer Kina Collins.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Juliana Stratton wins Democratic primary for U.S. Senate\n <\/p>\n Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has won the competitive Democratic primary race to replace U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin on the heels of a late campaign surge and millions in support from longtime running-mate Gov. JB Pritzker.<\/p>\n Stratton\u2019s momentum was enough to overcome an astounding $29 million that Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi spent on campaign ads.<\/p>\n It began with a commanding debate performance in January and was amplified by ads in the final weeks of the campaign. Stratton outperformed Krishnamoorthi in the Metro East region, Sangamon County, Chicago and some suburbs of Cook County \u2014 which took away any lead the congressman had in collar counties.<\/p>\n Stratton led Krishnamoorthi 39.4% to 33.6% with 80% of votes counted. U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly was running in third with 18.5%. Krishnamoorthi conceded about 9:30 p.m.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Daniel Biss wins Democratic primary for 9th Congressional District\n <\/p>\n Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss emerged victorious Tuesday in his bid to replace U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, fending off an insurgent progressive candidate in a crowded field to secure the Democratic nomination for a seat long held by his party in Congress.<\/p>\n Biss, former journalist Kat Abughazaleh and State Sen. Laura Fine, D-Glenview, led the pack of candidates in the race for Schakowsky\u2019s 9th District Congressional seat.<\/p>\n The Associated Press declared Biss the winner shortly after 9:30 p.m.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Krishnamoorthi supporters losing steam with widening gap in U.S. Senate race\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi\u2019s supporters are losing steam as results indicate he might fall short in his bid for a U.S. Senate seat.<\/p>\n Anthony Vazquez\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n A projector screen at U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi\u2019s watch party has stopped playing news coverage as the margin between him and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton widens in the race for the U.S. Senate.<\/p>\n Krishnamoorthi has yet to make an appearance at the party as the energy remains stagnant with the music shifting from upbeat to slightly melancholy. Current pop anthems like \u201cThe Fate of Ophelia\u201d by Taylor Swift and \u201cMan I Need\u201d by Olivia Dean played earlier in the night, while Gotye\u2019s \u201cSomebody That I Used to Know\u201d and a cover of The Fray\u2019s \u201cBreakeven\u201d pulsed through the speakers as Krishnamoorthi\u2019s chances slimmed.<\/p>\n Some supporters began to accept the possibility that Krishnamoorthi may not be on the ballot in November. But for some, even if Krishnamoorthi doesn\u2019t win, his competitors are decent options, despite what some campaign ads may try to say.<\/p>\n \u201cAs much as the commercials make it sound that they\u2019re so different from each other, I actually feel like there\u2019s a lot more common ground between candidates like Juliana Stratton and Robin Kelly,\u201d Krishnamoorthi supporter Sheetal Rao said. \u201cI really like them both. I think that that\u2019s important and that we really can\u2019t end up in a bad place with any of them.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Melissa Bean wins Democratic primary for 8th Congressional District\n <\/p>\n Former U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean coasted to victory in the 8th Congressional District Democratic primary to replace U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, taking a step toward reclaiming the congressional seat she lost 16 years ago.<\/p>\n Bean claimed 32% of the vote with 86% of the expected vote counted, leading the Associated Press to call the race. She was trailed by South Barrington tech entrepreneur Junaid Ahmed with 26% of the vote as of 9:18 p.m. Central Time.<\/p>\n With Krishnamoorthi seeking Dick Durbin\u2019s open U.S. Senate seat, Bean had amassed the largest war chest in her attempt to reclaim the seat she lost in 2010 in a Tea Party wave upset.<\/p>\n Bean, who ran on a moderate platform, preached pragmatism over polarization. She pinned the loss of her seat in 2011 on her vote for the Affordable Care Act.<\/p>\n The solidly Democratic 8th Congressional District, redrawn in 2023, stretches from the Far Northwest Side, near O\u2019Hare, west to parts of Elgin and Geneva.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Ted Dabrowski, GOP governor candidate, concedes to Bailey: \u2018We pointed the way to doing better for Illinois families\u2019\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski speaks at his campaign watch party.<\/p>\n Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski addressed a watch party of about 100 supporters in Rosemont shortly before 9 p.m. after the primary was called for Darren Bailey, the downstate farmer and former state senator.<\/p>\n \u201cThough we came up short tonight, I\u2019m very proud of the campaign we ran,\u201d Dabrowski said. \u201cI want to congratulate Darren Bailey on his victory tonight, and I wish him well in the general election against JB Pritzker. The goal of defeating Pritzker and restoring the quality of life in Illinois has not changed.\u201d<\/p>\n Dabrowski, a conservative commentator, came in second in the four-person primary.<\/p>\n \u201cI have no regrets about my candidacy,\u201d Dabrowski said. \u201cI know from the broad coalition that we built that we spoke to the quality of life concerns people have and addressed them with substantive solutions. We pointed the way to doing better for Illinois families, and I hope Darren Bailey and others will pick up on our message and run with it in the general election. Though I lost tonight, Illinois is not lost.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Celebratory mood at Juliana Stratton watch party as results show her in the lead for U.S. Senate\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Supporters celebrate at Juliana Stratton\u2019s election night watch party as she leads the race for U.S. Senate.<\/p>\n Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n Cheers erupted at Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton\u2019s watch party as polls showed her in the lead in the U.S. Senate race with 39% of the vote counted at 9 p.m.<\/p>\n Music blasted and people crowded the dance floor as Bon Jovi crooned, \u201cWe\u2019re halfway there, livin\u2019 on a prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n Charles Rushing, 50, of Hyde Park, knows Stratton personally. But he said she\u2019s the best candidate regardless of the connection. Stratton has the endorsement of Gov. JB Pritzker, who\u2019s doing a \u201cgreat job,\u201d said Rushing.<\/p>\n Rushing wore a sticker that read \u201cF*ck Trump. Vote Juliana.\u201d He\u2019s \u201cnot a fan of Donald Trump,\u201d especially as a 20-year U.S. Army veteran. Trump\u2019s military actions are \u201can impeachable offense,\u201d Rushing said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi concedes reelection bid to challenger Pat Hynes\n <\/p>\n Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, who held the office for two terms and spent 20 years as a mutual fund portfolio manager and analyst before that, conceded to challenger Pat Hynes just after 9 p.m.<\/p>\n Jarvis Square Tavern, where he clinched the 2022 nomination, was decked out with as many political signs as four-leaf clovers, but Kaegi wasn\u2019t feeling the luck.<\/p>\n The incumbent took vague shots at Hynes\u2019 \u201dmachine\u201d backing and touted his own reforms for the office before saying he hopes that Hynes keeps the changes Kaegi made during his tenure.<\/p>\n \u201cI know what machine politics looks like and what that does for our neighborhoods,\u201d Kaegi said. \u201cI hope he protects the reforms we put in place.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat fight doesn\u2019t end tonight, it\u2019s bigger than one office and bigger than any one person,\u201d he added before stepping offstage to hug his wife and daughters. \u201cI want to thank all of you for your support and putting your trust in me.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Donna Miller campaign says \u2018the people spoke\u2019 after she wins 2nd Congressional District primary\n <\/p>\n Donna Miller\u2019s campaign declared victory in a Facebook post<\/a> Tuesday evening: \u201cThe people spoke. And Donna Miller delivered.<\/p>\n \u201cThis wasn\u2019t just a win, it was a statement,\u201d the campaign said. \u201cLeadership that gets results. A voice that represents us. A future we\u2019re building together. Now we keep going.\u201c<\/p>\n The Cook County Board commissioner won the Democratic primary<\/a> for the 2nd Congressional District and the right to represent the party in the general election race this fall against Republican candidate Michael Noack, who ran unopposed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n La Shawn Ford says tough primary campaign will make him a better congressman after Conyears-Ervin concedes\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n La Shawn Ford is introduced at his election night party, where optimism grows that he will prevail.<\/p>\n Miriam Cardenas-Mitchell for WBEZ<\/p>\n At a union hall in the 7th Congressional District, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel \u201cChris\u201c Welch and retiring U.S. Rep. Danny Davis introduced State Rep. La Shawn Ford to huge cheers.<\/p>\n Ford thanked the primary\u2019s other 12 candidates, especially Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, who conceded the race. The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner.<\/p>\n Ford said he learned much from the campaign\u2019s many debates and forums and, if he wins the general election, will be a better congressman as a result.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Melissa Conyears-Ervin concedes 7th Congressional District race to La Shawn Ford\n <\/p>\n Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin has conceded in the race for Illinois\u2019s 7th Congressional District.<\/p>\n She was one of 13 candidates vying to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, who has held the seat for nearly three decades.<\/p>\n Conyears-Ervin said she called State Rep. La Shawn Ford to congratulate him on his victory and pledged to work closely with him as city treasurer.<\/p>\n \u201cI am so grateful to everyone who supported me and who recognized my story in their lives,\u201d Conyears Ervin wrote in a statement. \u201cAs someone born on the South Side, raised on the West Side and who is caring for my disabled sister relying on SNAP and Medicaid, I\u2019ve lived the devastating impact of the Trump Administration and I\u2019ll continue to fight back on behalf of my constituents.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Congress races: Quigley wins 5th, Casten wins 6th, Schneider wins 10th\n <\/p>\n By Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ staff<\/a><\/p>\n AP called Democratic primaries in favor of three incumbent members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday night. <\/p>\n Mike Quigley has won the 5th Congressional District, Sean Casten won the 6th Congressional District and Brad Schneider won the 10th Congressional District. All three were widely expected to win their respective Democratic primary races ahead of the general election this fall. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Abughazaleh supporter says she \u2018changed the conversation around what a Democrat can be\u2019\n <\/p>\n By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco | WBEZ<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re here to party,\u201d one supporter shouted at Kat Abughazaleh\u2019s packed and bustling election watch party in Andersonville, \u201cfile in this way.\u201d<\/p>\n With over 80% of votes counted, the 26-year-old content creator has pulled into second place behind Evanston Mayor Daniel Bass. Abughazaleh has battled for one of the state\u2019s most crowded races, vying for the seat U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky has held for nearly 30 years.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s an example for other candidates for the rest of the country,\u201d said Charles Douglas, 44, executive director of the Seattle-based political action nonprofit Common Power. \u201cWin or lose.\u201d<\/p>\n Douglas was part of a team of six door-knockers who arrived in Chicago from Seattle on Sunday to canvass for Abughazaleh. He and others said that the former journalist set herself apart from typical Democrats early, calling for the prosecution of federal immigration agents and sharply criticizing and accusing pro-Israel groups of tipping the scales in Illinois races.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s changed the conversation around what a Democrat can be,\u201d said Jessica Lui, 25, who knocked on over 450 doors for Abughazaleh.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Preckwinkle feels confident of primary win as she celebrates her birthday\n <\/p>\n By Kristen Schorsch | WBEZ<\/a><\/p>\n Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who celebrates her 79th birthday today, has a big lead over Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly in the Democratic primary for her reelection.<\/p>\n She\u2019s captured about 68% of the vote, with around 88% of precincts reporting.<\/p>\n Preckwinkle is seeking her fifth concsecutive term. She told WBEZ if she ultimately wins the general election in November, this would be her last term as Cook County board president.<\/p>\n There is no Republican candidate for the seat. Michael Murphy is running as a Libertarian.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Jesse Jackson Jr. tries to keep hope alive after 2nd Congressional District race is called for Donna Miller\n <\/p>\n Just after 8 p.m., energy dwindled at Jesse Jackson Jr.’s election night watch party, but the drinks were flowing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need some energy in this room,\u201c someone yelled into the mic, startling people at tables. \u201cAll the votes haven\u2019t been counted yet! This is Chicago, things can change in a half hour!\u201c<\/p>\n Minutes after the Associated Press called the race in Donna Miller\u2019s favor, the Jackson Jr. campaign was determined to keep the hope alive.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been fooled before, these numbers are not real. It\u2019s a hoax,\u201d the emcee said. \u201cWe have to wait till all the numbers come in.\u201d<\/p>\n Jackson Jr. emerged soon after, looking solemn, to the swells of H.E.R.\u2019s emotional song, \u201cThe Journey.\u201d Supporters crowded around him as he prepared to take the stage.<\/p>\n Former U.S. Representative Bobby Rush, who endorsed Jackson Jr., spoke first, chanting, \u201cKeep hope alive!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Darren Bailey wins GOP gubernatorial primary\n <\/p>\n Darren Bailey cruised to victory for the Illinois Republican nomination for governor, breezing past conservative activist Ted Dabrowski<\/a>, video gambling magnate Rick Heidner<\/a> and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick. Bailey now has about seven months to sell Illinois voters on a political brand they soundly rejected in 2022, when he lost by 13 points to Gov. JB Pritzker in the general election.<\/p>\n The Associated Press called the race for Bailey about 90 minutes after the polls closed, as he held 48% of the vote with 34% of votes counted. Pritzker didn\u2019t face any primary opposition in his bid for a rare third term.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Margaret Croke backers aim to launch her to comptroller primary victory: \u2018Can\u2019t think of anyone better\u2019\n <\/p>\n Supporters for State Rep. Margaret Croke\u2019s campaign for Illinois comptroller chowed on Home Run Inn and Connie\u2019s pizza at the Plumbers Local 130 in the West Loop as early election results leaned in Croke\u2019s favor.<\/p>\n State Reps. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) and Rick Ryan (D-Evergreen Park) and Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia were among the roughly 30 backers who socialized in a small upstairs room in the training center.<\/p>\n \u201c[Croke] is probably one of our smartest economic policy people down in Springfield, and her running the money for the state of Illinois, I can\u2019t think of anyone better to do that job as comptroller than Margaret,\u201d said Ryan, 59, who attended Croke\u2019s party with his wife, Maureen.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Biss watch party feels growing optimism as 9th Congressional District primary results roll in\n <\/p>\n By Sarah Karp | WBEZ<\/a>, Abby Miller<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Daniel Biss supporters are feeling energetic as they wait to see whether he prevails in the 9th Congressional District race.<\/p>\n The Daniel Biss election night watch party is feeling increasingly optimistic as early results show him holding a lead.<\/p>\n Drinks are being poured and the bartenders are excited when they see themselves on TV.<\/p>\n \u201cDaniel is running a very principled campaign,\u201c said Sarah Garza Resnick, said the leader of Personal PAC, which supports abortion rights. \u201cHe\u2019s a principled human being, and he\u2019s exactly who we need in Congress. And I think that the voters saw that.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need people who will yell and scream and fight, but we also need people with really innovative ideas, who know how to solve complex problems, and Daniel has a proven track record of that, and as the Republicans keep attacking abortion rights and we see what\u2019s going to happen after the midterms, I need someone in Congress who is going to completely have our back and never ever settle.\u201c<\/p>\n Warren Silver wasn\u2019t able to vote for Biss on Tuesday, since his home on the North Side is just outside of the 9th Congressional District. But he still showed up at Biss\u2019 watch party shortly after it began to support his longtime acquaintance. He\u2019s known Biss since they worked together on Sen. Elizabeth Warren\u2019s 2020 presidential campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always been impressed with his integrity and his intellect,\u201c Silver said of Biss. \u201cHe\u2019d make a fantastic member of Congress that could contribute a lot to the country.\u201c<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Darren Bailey hopes to add primary victory to his birthday celebration\n <\/p>\n Seeking two celebrations tonight, GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey is also celebrating his 60th birthday, which was not forgotten by the supporters at his watch party.<\/p>\n Although he hasn\u2019t arrived yet, Cindy Bailey, Darren Bailey\u2019s wife, led the crowd in singing happy birthday to a few cameras placed at the back of the room. She said her husband is watching the livestream from his hotel room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Supporters of Cook County Board President challenger Ald. Brendan Reilly remain hopeful\n <\/p>\n Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly\u2019s backers gathered Tuesday evening at River North venue The Wellsley for his election night event, where early attendees mingled as results in the Democratic primary for Cook County Board president were expected later in the night.<\/p>\n Upbeat tunes ushered guests in, with U2\u2019s \u201cBeautiful Day\u201d and Pharrell Williams\u2019 \u201cHappy\u201d playing over the speakers.<\/p>\n Iris Martinez, former Illinois state senator and Cook County Circuit Court clerk, attended to show her support for Reilly, who she said could bring beneficial changes to the county.<\/p>\n \u201cI really believe that Brendan Reilly has what it takes to take Cook County to the next level,\u201d Martinez said.<\/p>\n Incumbent Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was a favorite to win reelection.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Donna Miller wins Democratic primary for 2nd Congressional District\n <\/p>\n Donna Miller<\/a>, a Cook County Board commissioner, has won the Democratic primary<\/a> for the 2nd Congressional District, the Associated Press called Tuesday night. She will represent the party in the general election race this fall against Republican candidate Michael Noack, who ran unopposed.<\/p>\n Miller fended off Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s attempt at a political comeback and came out on top of a crowded primary race Tuesday.<\/p>\n Miller, who led the 10-candidate race in fundraising, earned over 40% of the vote with 63% of votes reported and beat nine other Democratic candidates to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Robin Kelly supporter says the Senate hopeful is \u2018not fluff\u2019 compared to rivals\n <\/p>\n By Araceli G\u00f3mez-Aldana | WBEZ<\/a><\/p>\n Rhonda Poindexter-Winton, 67, is a longtime friend of U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly and was one of the first people at her election night party.<\/p>\n Poindexter-Winton attended the event on Chicago\u2019s South Side to show support because of Kelly\u2019s commitment to gun safety and health care, including Medicare for All. Poindexter-Winton said she voted for Kelly because she is consistent and has integrity.<\/p>\n \u201cShe ran in the very beginning on gun control and protecting our kids in school and protecting everyone,\u201d Poindexter-Winton said. \u201cShe believes in following the law. She\u2019s not fluff.\u201d<\/p>\n Poindexter-Winton dismissed concerns about Kelly\u2019s campaign funding, stressing that effectiveness in office is more important than financial resources.<\/p>\n Kelly is benefiting from $500,000 in digital ads by The Impact Fund,<\/a> a super political action committee that is spending $1 million on the race this year, according to Federal Election Commission records. The support represented a boost from a group backing rival Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi that intended to take votes away from Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who appeared to be gaining momentum in the final weeks of the contentious race.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Races for Illinois statehouse seats coming down to the wire\n <\/p>\n Three of the four state legislative races tonight involve local incumbents facing spirited challengers.<\/p>\n That includes the 14th Senate District, covering the South Side and several south suburbs, where State Sen. Emil Jones III is aiming to complete a comeback after surviving a federal corruption trial last year. Jones is hoping to fend off a challenge from Ahmed Karrar, a lawyer and political newcomer, and Kenny Williams, a small business owner.<\/p>\n On the Northwest Side, longtime 40th District Rep. Jaime Andrade Jr. is facing off against community organizer Miguel Alvelo Rivera, who has positioned himself as the progressive outsider candidate.<\/p>\n Big money flushed into the race over the last several weeks with Andrade receiving support from Illinois Statehouse Democrats and the Illinois Democratic party. Money also poured into Rivera\u2019s campaign, though he still lagged behind Andrade. Most of it came from the Chicago Teachers Union political action committee along with the Illinois Federation of Teachers PAC.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Stratton watch party hands out \u2018F*ck Trump. Vote Juliana\u2019 stickers\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Julianna Stratton supporters had an opportunity to wear stickers targeting President Donald Trump at her election night watch party.<\/p>\n Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton\u2019s watch party at CineCity Studios on the West Side featured some alternative stickers alongside the more traditional slogans.<\/p>\n Stratton has leaned into the slogan targeting the president in recent weeks with a TV commercial featuring people repeating \u201cf— Trump\u201d over and over.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Bailey supporters praise Republican candidate as \u201cdown-to-earth\u201d\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sheldon and Heidi Schulte at the campaign watch party for Darren Bailey, Republican candidate for governor.<\/p>\n Sheldon and Heidi Schulte, a couple from a rural town about 75 miles south of Springfield, are among those attending the campaign watch party for Darren Bailey, a Republican candidate for governor. The Schultes have known the Baileys since his first run for governor in 2022.<\/p>\n Heidi, 57, says she and her husband have hosted several fundraisers for Bailey, whom she calls \u201cdown-to-earth.\u201d Heidi and Sheldon, 56, say they\u2019ll often go out to dinner with the Bailey family at one of their favorite steakhouse spots, a restaurant in Breese called Popeye\u2019s Chop House.<\/p>\n \u201cOut of all the politicians we know, they\u2019re the only ones we\u2019ve been out to eat with,\u201d Sheldon said. \u201cThat\u2019s really saying something.\u201d<\/p>\n For Heidi, Bailey\u2019s policies on government transparency and affordability are what resonate with her the most.<\/p>\n \u201cHe brings what the majority of the state wants to the table,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019d be nice for people to understand that Illinois is just not Chicago.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Chicago labor leader supports challenger for Cook County assessor\n <\/p>\n By Nicole Jeanine Johnson<\/a><\/p>\n Bob Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, showed up early in support of Lyons Township Assessor Pat Hynes, who\u2019s vying for the Cook County assessor job against incumbent Fritz Kaegi.<\/p>\n For Reiter, this race comes down to economic growth across Cook County, including more jobs and a lighter tax burden for working-class families.<\/p>\n \u201cIt impacts labor in terms of the growth of our city. And I\u2019d be remiss if I didn\u2019t note that we do have affiliates who have endorsed Assessor Kaegi,\u201d Reiter said. \u201dBut, you know … [it\u2019s] a critical time for the growth of suburban Cook, along with the city of Chicago. And we\u2019re hoping that as working families struggle to understand and relate to our property tax system, which funds vital services, that getting Pat in there will give people confidence that that the system is working to help grow.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Conyears-Ervin\u2019s watch party takes over Manny\u2019s Deli\n <\/p>\n Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin\u2019s election night party is at Manny\u2019s Deli, where the famed stainless-steel cafeteria line closed for the night a few minutes ago as her supporters \u2014 and the results \u2014 start to trickle in.<\/p>\n The race has been difficult to handicap in the 7th Congressional District, where a 13-candidate Democratic primary could all but determine the successor of retiring U.S. Rep. Danny Davis.<\/p>\n A huge factor is a deluge of special interest money. Conyears-Ervin has benefited from nearly $5 million spent by a pro-Israel super PAC to promote her campaign. She may also benefit indirectly from $2.5 million that cryptocurrency interests have spent to attack her strongest competitor, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, who has Davis\u2019s endorsement.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Preckwinkle supporter looks forward to her potential 5th term\n <\/p>\n By Kristen Schorsch | WBEZ<\/a><\/p>\n Surrounded by walls of windows, revealing the night sky, about 20 people came out to support incumbent Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Tuesday at her election night party at Little Black Pearl, a venue in Chicago\u2019s Kenwood neighborhood on the South Side.<\/p>\n Heavy snacks filled a dining table, from Capri skewers with tomatoes and cheese to carrots and celery in cups of hummus.<\/p>\n Heba Qandeel-Kishta traveled to the party from southwest suburban Orland Park. She said she met Preckwinkle through a mutual friend.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat excites me about her is just the way she carries herself in grace,\u201d said Qandeel-Kishta, 39. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to seeing her up here. I\u2019m looking forward to her entrance. I get goosebumps talking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Melissa Bean\u2019s views on health care should land her back in Congress, supporter says\n <\/p>\n By Somer Van Benton | WBEZ<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bruce Pfaff says Melissa Bean\u2019s healthcare views won her his support.<\/p>\n As polls closed, people are filtering into Melissa Bean\u2019s election night party at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg. \u201cI\u2019ll Be There\u201d by The Jackson 5 plays as the smell of marinara starts to fill the room.<\/p>\n Bruce Pfaff, 71, says he\u2019s been supporting Bean since her first stint in Congress. He remembers when her vote for the Affordable Care Act left a sour taste to more conservative district residents.<\/p>\n \u201cThe district was fairly conservative,\u201d he said. \u201cShe was the first Democrat to win there in quite a while. So Republicans came out with pitchforks, and they got got rid of her because of the Affordable Care Act vote.\u201d<\/p>\n Sixteen years later, Pfaff thinks a now more Democratic district is moved by her views on health care.<\/p>\n \u201cI think everyone realizes the Affordable Care Act is a good thing and health care is really important,\u201d Pfaff said. \u201cI think health care is a right, and the fact that it\u2019s become a privilege in America is a terrible thing. So I think she\u2019s energized people with that.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Early scenes from Krishnamoorthi, Stratton, Preckwinkle campaign parties\n <\/p>\n With results coming in after polls closed at 7 p.m., here\u2019s an early look at campaign parties for Senate candidates Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, as well as Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, comptroller candidate Margaret Croke and Congressional candidate Jesse Jackson Jr.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The stage at the campaign party for Senate candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi.<\/p>\n | Signs at a campaign party for Senate candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi.<\/p>\n | Signs at a campaign party for Senate candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi.<\/p>\n | A campaign sign sits affixed to a column an election night party for Senate candidate Juliana Stratton at CineCity Studios Chicago.<\/p>\n | Campaign buttons sit on a table during an election night party for Senate candidate Juliana Stratton at CineCity Studios Chicago.<\/p>\n | Campaign buttons and signage sit on a table during an election night party for Senate candidate Juliana Stratton at CineCity Studios Chicago.<\/p>\n | The campaign party for Cook County Board President candidate Toni Preckwinkle.<\/p>\n | The campaign party for Cook County Board President candidate Toni Preckwinkle.<\/p>\n | A supporter at a campaign party for Congressional candidate Jesse Jackson Jr.<\/p>\n | Signs at a campaign party for Congressional candidate Jesse Jackson Jr.<\/p>\n | Buttons and popcorn at the campaign party for comptroller candidate Margaret Croke.<\/p>\n | A podium at the campaign party for comptroller candidate Margaret Croke.<\/p>\n | <\/p>\n \n Biss campaign hoping for positive night as supporters hit cash bar and chow down on Buffalo chicken bites\n <\/p>\n Shiny vintage cars and big silver barrels of beer are highlights of the watch party held at a brewery for Daniel Biss, one of three favorites in the hotly contested 9th Congressional District.<\/p>\n Supporters are filing in from the freezing cold weather after spending the day out at the polls. They\u2019re greeted by 1990s hip-hop and hummus, Buffalo wings, Buffalo chicken bites, popcorn shrimp and pretzel bites. Some people have drink tickets, but for the most part, it\u2019s a cash bar. A group of kids is in St. Paddy\u2019s Day outfits. <\/p>\n Jake Lewis, communication strategist for Biss, said the campaign thinks returns will come in from Chicago and Cook County by 8 p.m. Results in DuPage and Lake counties are expected later, Lewis said. While those counties only account for about 10% of the vote, the Biss campaign thinks they could be the deciding factor. Lewis said that at this point in the campaign, all they can do is hope and wait rather than make any predictions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Polls close on Election Day in 2026 Illinois Primary\n <\/p>\n Polls across Illinois officially closed at 7 p.m. local time Tuesday night for the 2026 primary elections. Those waiting in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. <\/p>\n Results will begin coming in shortly so make sure to bookmark the live results page <\/a>for the latest.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Senate hopeful Juliana Stratton\u2019s watch party feels the energy as results start to roll in\n <\/p>\n Music has filled the room, with a live DJ bumping \u201cSmooth Operator\u201d by Sade at the West Side election night watch party for Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.<\/p>\n Stratton, a hopeful to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin in Washington, D.C., will watch results roll in with her family before addressing supporters later in the evening, her team said. Guests expected tonight include retiring U.S. Rep. Jesus \u201cChuy\u201d Garcia, Chicago Alds. Timmy Knudsen and Michael Rodriguez and city Comptroller Anna Valencia, according to the campaign.<\/p>\n Stratton\u2019s team wouldn\u2019t confirm whether Gov. JB Pritzker plans to make an appearance. The governor has helped Stratton close the gap with fellow front-runner U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in the final weeks, including with a $5 million contribution.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Supporter of GOP gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski says Illinois \u2018needs sanity\u2019\n <\/p>\n By Courtney Kueppers | WBEZ<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Alexandra Milos and her husband Radoslaw Grzelak attend GOP gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski\u2019s election night watch party.<\/p>\n Alexandra Milos and her husband Radoslaw Grzelak hope for a Ted Dabrowski win in the GOP gubernatorial primary.<\/p>\n About 70 supporters of Republican gubernatorial candidate and conservative activist Ted Dabrowski<\/a> began gathering shortly before polls closed at a watch party inside a conference room at the Westin in Rosemont.<\/p>\n Alexandra Milos, 76, attended the party with her husband. Wearing cowboy boots and a Dabrowski T-shirt, Milos said she\u2019s concerned about Illinois\u2019 crime rate and the state\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n \u201cThe state of Illinois needs sanity,\u201d the Elmwood Park resident said. \u201cNo sanctuary state. We need to respect the law and Ted will bring good changes to our state.\u201d<\/p>\n Dabrowski is one of four candidates in the GOP primary<\/a>. The field is headlined by former state Sen. Darren Bailey<\/a>, who trounced the field four years ago before losing in a landslide to Gov. JB Pritzker.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Watch or listen to live election night analysis on WBEZ\n <\/p>\n WBEZ 91.5 FM will be serving up live election night analysis of the Illinois primary on both the radio and YouTube.<\/p>\n Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, hosts of WBEZ\u2019s call-in show Say More, will host an hour-long special from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. They\u2019ll be joined in the studio by Sun-Times\/WBEZ politics editor Dave McKinney and WBEZ anchor Melba Lara.<\/p>\n Watch the live stream on YouTube starting at 7! <\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Skokie voters say they want to see \u2018something different\u2019\n <\/p>\n Skokie voters braved a biting wind to cast ballots in the competitive 9th Congressional District<\/a> Democratic primary.<\/p>\n Shiraz Najam, 48, said he was inspired to vote today not by a particular candidate but by a desire to see \u201csomething different than what we\u2019ve been seeing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI prefer that there\u2019s more empathy, more compassion in the people who make the decisions about innocent lives,\u201d he said. His vote for the open congressional seat went to Bushra Amiwala.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need some fresh perspective in the office, so I just went with her,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Shiraz Najam says he\u2019s voting for candidates who will show \u201cmore compassion.\u201d<\/p>\n That desire for change also inspired Heather Dreznick, 52, a school nurse. After going back and forth over where to award her vote, the lifelong Democrat landed on Kat Abughazaleh.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need somebody who\u2019s \u2026 gonna be a little angry and shake things up a little bit,\u201d she said. \u201cShe\u2019s young and feisty and she\u2019s got great ideas. The things that we\u2019ve been doing haven\u2019t really been working.\u201d<\/p>\n Amiwala and Abughazaleh have battled in a hotly contested campaign to replace the retiring Jan Schakowsky, whose Congressional seat is open for the first time since 1999.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Last look at Sun-Times\/WBEZ voter tools before polls close\n <\/p>\n By Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ staff<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Photoillustration by Mendy Kong\/WBEZ; Photo by Ashlee Rezin\/Chicago Sun-Times<\/p>\n Candidates are sending text messages, popping up on social and buying TV ads. How do you sort through the noise?<\/p>\n Our politics team has you covered with our Voter Guide:<\/p>\n Enter your address to build a sample ballotCompare candidates, read questionnaires and explore race previewsDownload a PDF of your ballot and bring it to the polls<\/p>\n It\u2019s your right to vote. We hope our guide helps you do just that.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Pullman voter wants candidates to make a change in her neighborhood\n <\/p>\n By Elleiana Green<\/a>, Jackie Serrato<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Khrysta Hendricks was swayed by a candidate who made a personal connection.<\/p>\n Khrysta Hendricks, 39, said she\u2019s looking for candidates who will make change happen for her Pullman community.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to be able to be proud of my neighborhood,\u201d Hendricks said, explaining that she has seen her taxes significantly increase, which has resulted in no changes since she moved to the Far South Side neighborhood five years ago.<\/p>\n She was inspired to vote after Cleopatra Cowley, a candidate for Illinois House District 34, personally called her to wish her a happy birthday.<\/p>\n \u201cI asked her, \u2018What are you gonna do for our neighborhood?\u2019 And she [answered],\u201d Hendricks said. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m voting.\u201d<\/p>\n David Doggett, 61, lives in another Far South Side neighborhood: Mount Greenwood. He said he\u2019s most focused on the education system in Tuesday\u2019s primary election.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d hate to see the direction of it go south, or further south than what it is right now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Doggett said he\u2019s alarmed by federal education policy changes that have trickled down into the local school system and is worried that curriculum having to do with race is being removed.<\/p>\n As teens shuffled into the South Side YMCA in Woodlawn for afternoon programs such as swimming and basketball, voters also trickled into the lobby to cast their votes in the primary election.<\/p>\n Alyson Eaglin, a retired accountant, showed off her \u201cI Voted\u201d sticker.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important to get people to vote and understand why they\u2019re voting,\u201d Eaglin, 62, said. \u201cA lot of people died for the right to vote, so I\u2019m trying to make sure that mine is counted and my [adult] kids are counted.\u201d<\/p>\n Eaglin said she supported Radiance Ward for Cook County judge and State Sen. Willie Preston for the 2nd Congressional District.<\/p>\n She said she\u2019s tired of hearing people complaining about Trump \u201cand all that\u2019s happening in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPeople don\u2019t get that [voting] is where it starts,\u201d Eaglin said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n \u2018You just have to take a chance\u2019 on political candidates, Chicago voter says\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thelma Cochrane (left) and James Canty (right)<\/p>\n Thelma Cochrane, 71, said she keeps coming back to the polls on Election Day because she simply loves to vote.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s my right, and if my vote can make a difference, I want to do it,\u201d she said with a smile.<\/p>\n Cochrane, a former Montessori preschool teacher in Beverly on the Far South Side, said she\u2019s most focused on crime, immigration and the war with Iran.<\/p>\n She cast her vote for Joey Ruzevich, a candidate in the 6th Congressional District against incumbent Rep. Sean Casten.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know a lot about most of them, even though I tried to do some research,\u201d Cochrane said. \u201cBut they can say what they want, so you just have to take a chance and say, \u2018God help me to make a good choice.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n James Canty, 53, said he wants to see more social programs for the city as a result of Tuesday\u2019s primary election.<\/p>\n Money for mental health was one of the most important programs he said he would like to see funded.<\/p>\n Canty, a South Side resident, said he doesn\u2019t normally vote in primary elections but was inspired after volunteering at a polling place.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Special interest super PACs shaped Illinois Congressional races\n <\/p>\n The Chicago area\u2019s four U.S. House races without an incumbent have attracted 24 super PACs and other special-interest groups whose donors are hard to identify. Those groups have swamped the Democratic primaries with nearly $34 million in spending, according to federal disclosures through Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n The top spenders were pro-Israel<\/a> ($22.2 million), cryptocurrency<\/a> ($4.5 million) and artificial intelligence<\/a> ($2.5 million) interests. The vast majority of the money went into broadcast and digital ads. Smaller sums financed newspaper ads, mailers, phone calls, text messages, yard signs and websites.<\/p>\n Candidates backed by the most super PAC money: Candidates opposed by the most super PAC money: <\/p>\n \n Oak Park voter says her election goal is to \u2018keep the Constitution alive\u2019\n <\/p>\n Lynn Frederick, a longtime resident of Oak Park, said she voted in Tuesday\u2019s primary because \u201csaving democracy\u201d is at the top of her mind.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s extremely important that we vote because we are still able to,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s the only way we have any say in how we move forward \u2014 whether we move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Frederick, 74, said she is on her third retirement after a career of fundraising for Catholic schools in the area, most recently St. Angela\u2019s Catholic School in Austin.<\/p>\n But she\u2019s still a huge supporter of public schools, like Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, where she cast her Democratic ballot today.<\/p>\n \u201cOur public schools are our strength,\u201d Frederick said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are a diverse nation. We need diversity in this nation. It\u2019s what we were built on,\u201d she continued. \u201cWe have a Constitution that has worked for us for nearly 250 years and we have to vote in order to keep the Constitution alive.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Primary voters submit ballots at George Rogers Clark Elementary School in Austin\n <\/p>\n George Rogers Clark Elementary School in Austin saw voters coming and going Tuesday to submit ballots in the 2026 Illinois primary elections. Here\u2019s a look at a few photos from Sun-Times staff photographer Pat Nabong.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bonnie Frazier votes in the primary election at George Rogers Clark Elementary School in Austin on Election Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026.<\/p>\n | Election judges work at George Rogers Clark Elementary School in Austin on Election Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026.<\/p>\n | Randy Boxtel votes in the primary election at George Rogers Clark Elementary School in Austin on Election Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026.<\/p>\n | Eliza Rogers votes in the primary election at George Rogers Clark Elementary School in Austin on Election Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026.<\/p>\n | <\/p>\n \n DuPage County midterm primary turnout on pace for recent high, official says\n <\/p>\n DuPage County voters were on track by Tuesday afternoon to turn out at the highest rate for a midterm primary in more than a decade, according to officials in the western suburbs.<\/p>\n As of 2 p.m., more than 115,000 out of about 637,000 voters \u2014 or 18% \u2014 had cast their votes on Election Day, during early voting or with a mail-in ballot, according to DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek.<\/p>\n The county saw nearly 23% of voters cast ballots in the 2022 midterm primary and about 25% in 2018. But Tuesday\u2019s voting pace gave optimism that those figures would be surpassed.<\/p>\n \u201cElection Day voting by hour has been trending higher all day than comparable past elections,\u201d Kaczmarek said in a news release. \u201cWith five hours left to vote and more Vote-by-Mail ballots to be delivered, DuPage County is on pace for its highest midterm turnout in recent memory. I encourage DuPage County voters to take advantage of the opportunity to vote at any polling place throughout the county before 7 p.m. this evening.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Cook County\u2019s suburbs were nearing 100,000 total votes by mid-afternoon\n <\/p>\n Cook County suburbs were nearing 100,000 total votes, with the potential for 150,000, the Cook County Clerk\u2019s Office said at a mid-afternoon update about Election Day voting.<\/p>\n Oak Park, Evanston and River Forest were among the suburbs with the highest voter turnout, while Stickney, Cicero, Norwood Park and Hanover have seen the lowest turnout Tuesday, according to the Clerk\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n One high school senior wanted to vote for politicians with \u2018a backbone\u2019\n <\/p>\n Alexa Farrar, a senior at Evanston Township High School, cast a ballot for the first time at Haven Middle School.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was pretty much how I expected \u2018cause I\u2019ve been with my parents other times they voted,\u201d Farrar, 18, said. \u201cSo it was just cool to be able to do it myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Farrar, who lives in the northern suburb, said she\u2019s gotten to meet several primary candidates because they\u2019ve visited her school to speak with students.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s been really cool to take all of that information and personal knowledge that I\u2019ve been able to [accrue] and go in and make a choice based on that,\u201d she said after voting.<\/p>\n As for her top priorities going into the voting booth, Farrar cited affordability and \u201chaving politicians that have a backbone and really fight for issues that they care about. That\u2019s definitely a big thing for me.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Voting to protect the environment and working-class people\n <\/p>\n Brookfield resident and musician Megan Lauterbach, 48, said she looks for candidates who promise to \u201cprotect the environment\u201d and \u201cprotect working-class people, like just everyday people.\u201d<\/p>\n Lauterbach plays the cello and gives private, one-on-one lessons to more than 30 students on the cello and piano each week. Turning up to the polls in Broadview was simply a part of fulfilling her civic duties, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t used to vote in primaries when I was in my twenties. I used to only just vote in the [presidential elections], but now I\u2019m all grown up,\u201d Lauterbach said.<\/p>\n Lauterbach said she cast a vote for U.S. Senate candidate Sean Brown<\/a>, an attorney from Orland Park, because she liked his campaign messaging. He\u2019s not a career politician, but he\u2019s running on issues like affordable healthcare and increased ICE oversight.<\/p>\n Though Lauterbach is skeptical of Brown\u2019s chances, she said her choice was informed by her desire \u201cto go with someone that wasn\u2019t the usual [candidate].\u201d<\/p>\n Brookfield resident Megan Lauterbach, 48, said she looks for candidates who promise to \u201cprotect the environment\u201d and \u201cprotect working class people, like just everyday people.\u201d@Suntimes<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/pWd2XxitjV<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 A.M.C. (@MeDicenAmbi) March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n In suburban Broadview, \u2018One vote makes a difference.\u2019\n <\/p>\n David Moore, 62, said he came out to vote at the Broadview municipal building today because with \u201call the corruption that\u2019s going on in the government, you don\u2019t know who to trust.\u201d<\/p>\n Moore\u2019s polling place is less than a mile away from the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.<\/p>\n Moore has lived in the western suburb for almost 40 years, he said. Now retired, he worked as a correctional officer in Cook County for 30 years.<\/p>\n Some of the issues Moore said he cares about specifically are healthcare and his pension and Social Security benefits. But more importantly, he wants everyone to \u201cget along.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOne vote makes a difference,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n David Moore, 62, said he came out to vote at the Broadview municipal building today because with “all the corruption that’s going on in the government, you don’t know who to trust.\u201d@Suntimes<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/uvtR9rsT9c<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 A.M.C. (@MeDicenAmbi) March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n With over 250,000 votes cast, voter turnout nearly matched turnout for the June 2022 primary\n <\/p>\n Election Day turnout numbers nearly mirror the Election Day turnout of the June 2022 primary, said the Chicago Board of Elections.<\/p>\n In a midday press briefing, Max Bever, director of public information for the Board of Elections, said the number of ballots cast will likely fall somewhere in between 2018 and 2022\u2019s turnout numbers. While early voting totals skewed closely to the 2018 primary, the hour-by-hour count on Election Day nearly matched the June 2022 primary, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe came into Election Day like a lion, but it looks like we might be exiting like a lamb,\u201d Bever said.<\/p>\n As of noon, over 250,000 votes were cast, with 16.11% citywide turnout so far.<\/p>\n Two incidents have been reported to the Chicago Board of Elections, including a glitch when candidate La Shawn Ford tried to vote<\/a> and another with a down voting machine in Ward 4. Both issues have been resolved, he said.<\/p>\n The Board has not been made aware of any public safety issues at polling sites.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019ve been seeing is a nice, safe, smooth Election Day,\u201d Bever said. \u201cDare I say a bit boring?\u201d<\/p>\n Bever said early voting and vote-by-mail options could be the culprit.<\/p>\n He added, \u201cWhat we saw leading up to Election Day was a lot more voters choosing earlier in the process than they traditionally have for primary elections.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Prices and tariffs weighed on voters\u2019 minds in Bronzeville\n <\/p>\n By Esther Yoon-Ji Kang | WBEZ<\/a><\/p>\n In the Bronzeville neighborhood on Chicago\u2019s South Side, a steady stream of voters filed in and out of the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center.<\/p>\n Tiffany Shockley, 49, brought her 6-year-old son with her. Top of mind for her was costs for essentials.<\/p>\n \u201cPrices. And gas. Food prices. I have one income, I have a son. And I cannot, cannot live like that,\u201d Shockley said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tiffany Shockley with her 6-year-old son at the Dr. Martin Luther King Center in Bronzeville, Tuesday, March 17, 2026.<\/p>\n She said voting for a Democratic candidate to replace U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin was easy: She chose Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was the best candidate because she worked with Pritzker,\u201d she said. \u201cI figured those two together, they did an awesome job as far as Illinois is concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n Edward Ellis, 65, said his top issues were the tariffs and wars outside of the U.S. Fed up with both Democrats and Republicans, he almost did not cast his ballot today.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething in my mind kept saying, \u2018It ain\u2019t even worth it,\u2019 \u201d Ellis said. \u201cBut then, when you think about what people have been through to vote, I just feel it\u2019s my duty to vote.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Edward Ellis cast his vote during the 2026 primary at the Dr. Martin Luther King Center in Bronzeville, Tuesday, March 17, 2026.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n A vote informed by the death Silverio Villegas Gonz\u00e1lez\n <\/p>\n Ninfa Aguilar, 68, said immigration was one of the most important issues that drove her to the polls this year. Her decision to vote in this year\u2019s primaries was informed in part by the death of Silverio Villegas Gonz\u00e1lez, who was killed six months ago in west suburban Franklin Park by federal immigration agents.<\/p>\n \u201cI voted for the Democrats because I want to see changes in immigration laws and policies regarding immigrants,\u201d Aguilar said.<\/p>\n She\u2019s lived near Belmont Avenue in Franklin Park for more than 30 years.<\/p>\n Aguilar, now retired, said she\u2019s always voted in elections since becoming a U.S. citizen more than 40 years ago, \u201cbecause it\u2019s important to me to have good public officials.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI voted for the Democrats because I want to see changes in immigration laws and policies regarding immigrants,\u201d said Ninfa Aguilar, a resident of west suburban Franklin Park.@Suntimes<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jrhxA7wj5P<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 A.M.C. (@MeDicenAmbi) March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Did you know: Durbin stayed neutral ahead of the Democratic primary\n <\/p>\n For the record: Durbin never endorsed anyone in this Senate primary, where Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi were the front-runners from the start. <\/p>\n That\u2019s so different than how it was when Durbin decided to give up his downstate House seat to make a Democratic primary Senate bid after then-Sen. Paul Simon announced his retirement in 1994. Simon, Durbin\u2019s mentor, made it clear early on he was backing Durbin.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n Pritzker says Stratton is a \u201cfighter\u201d at Manny\u2019s Deli\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (left) with Gov. JB Pritzker at Manny\u2019s Deli on the Near West Side on Election Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026.<\/p>\n Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, U.S. Senate candidate Juliana Stratton and Lt. Gov. candidate Christian Mitchell held a lunchtime meet-and-greet at Manny\u2019s Deli on Chicago\u2019s Near West Side.<\/p>\n \u201d\u200aShe\u2019s somebody that has done the job of Lieutenant Governor and, very importantly, fought for the people of this state,\u201d Pritzker said of Stratton\u2019s candidacy for outgoing Senator Dick Durbin\u2019s seat. \u201cWe need to send that same fighter to Washington, D.C. on our behalf at this moment to stand up to Donald Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n Pritzker said that, if elected, Stratton would be the third Black woman to serve in the Senate. (That\u2019s actually incorrect, as five other Black women<\/a> have served in the Senate to date.)<\/p>\n \u201cThis is, as the Governor just said, the best chance and the only chance in this election cycle to make sure that we send another Black woman to the United States Senate, and make sure our voices are heard,\u201d Stratton said. \u201cI have the best path to do that, and that\u2019s exactly what I\u2019m working to do.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n A glitch in the system nearly kept La Shawn Ford from voting\n <\/p>\n By Elleiana Green<\/a>, Pat Nabong<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Manuel Martinez\/WBEZ<\/p>\n
\n Manuel Martinez\/WBEZ<\/p>\n
\n Manuel Martinez\/WBEZ<\/p>\n
\n Manuel Martinez\/WBEZ<\/p>\n![\"Melissa](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/07b8095\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F35%2Fb4%2Fc0cd48a7484ca9bc49fa08a20039%2Fdsc01303.JPG\")
<\/p>\n![\"Darren](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/b413e1f\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5712x4284+0+0\/resize\/840x630!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc5%2F34%2F998383d14562be0962e9851a6180%2Fimg-3952.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/585e20d\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/8192x5464+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F1b%2F94%2Fb45630c14ca79d3a6f50a69eb45c%2F561a0424.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/d173e21\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/8192x5464+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F65%2F21%2F1bc3642b43919de279bea6a2ac09%2F186a0503.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Republican](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/d3742e2\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4032x3024+0+0\/resize\/840x630!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F42%2F34%2F82d002504a5a86fca4277592564f%2Fimg-5179.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Supporters](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/32c9d22\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/1620x1080+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fea%2F9d%2Ffea9a7a84b178f48fe40f72cc4ab%2Fz728693.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"La](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/592d009\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4035x2950+0+0\/resize\/840x614!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F1c%2F37%2F9ac7552e41c39905b1d4a28b9119%2Fdsc-4630.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/cf5429a\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6265x4179+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F0d%2Fad%2Fcd187fb048148ff0b1ad6ca25bf4%2Fcongress9th-2603180021.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Stickers](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/62f4b4f\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4080x3060+0+0\/resize\/840x630!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F91%2Fd3%2Fbd104691453093789f447157eae9%2F20260317-192717-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Sheldon](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/a3f5298\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4284x3091+0+0\/resize\/840x606!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F43%2F9c%2F6c9581c94b82a06e86b9a6538ae0%2Fimg-3908.JPG\")
<\/p>\n![\"Bruce](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/d472798\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4032x3024+0+0\/resize\/840x630!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7c%2Fdf%2F25c2c33d4c349ece65bd910fe866%2Fimg-3734.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Anthony Vazquez\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Anthony Vazquez\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Anthony Vazquez\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Victor Hilitski\/For the Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Victor Hilitski\/For the Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Candace Dane Chambers\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Candace Dane Chambers\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Ashlee Rezin\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Ashlee Rezin\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n![\"IMG_5165.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/c6d774d\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4032x3024+0+0\/resize\/840x630!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F31%2F45%2F5ec6c9684d8db795ffb1fda138d0%2Fimg-5165.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Shiraz](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/1f356cd\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3024x4032+0+0\/resize\/840x1120!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F1c%2F31%2F38f090cc49bfb0ae215a12139ac5%2Fimg-9485.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Voter](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/a4640ed\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fbf%2F56%2Fde9caa694c3fb80fbd07deda781f%2Fvoter-guide-hero-art.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Khrysta](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/9711766\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4032x3024+0+0\/resize\/840x630!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F41%2Fd2%2F895b29d74b66bc05b06498c00c72%2Fimg-2390.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"PRIMARYVOTERS](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/3ffb01e\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4000x3000+0+0\/resize\/840x630!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F92%2F19%2Fc7fcf7954e908a269d2a5edb37d9%2Funtitled-design-12.png\")
<\/p>\n
1. Melissa Bean (8th District): $7.2 million
2. Melissa Conyears-Ervin (7th): $5.0 million
3. Laura Fine (9th): $4.9 million
4. Donna Miller (2nd): $4.4 million
5. Jesse Jackson Jr. (2nd): $1.4 million<\/p>\n
1. La Shawn Ford (7th District): $2.5 million
2. Kat Abughazaleh (9th): $2.1 million
4. Daniel Biss (9th): $1.4 million
3. Junaid Ahmed (8th): $0.8 million
5. Robert Peters (2nd): $0.8 million<\/p>\n
\n Pat Nabong\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Pat Nabong\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Pat Nabong\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
\n Pat Nabong\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n![\"IMG_7286.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/fdf2174\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3170x2377+0+0\/resize\/840x630!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F9e%2Fad%2Fc75a52f24539a225812b96cc9c89%2Fimg-7286.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"IMG_7289.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/b938fa4\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3336x2502+0+0\/resize\/840x630!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fb9%2F52%2F9b32dfa44f59a4aa1ec199f89e7a%2Fimg-7289.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"DW0A1739.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/2f27205\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6445x4299+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F1b%2F1f%2Fa4d621f04297b07d7ee6a51fdddc%2Fdw0a1739.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
![\"DSC05379.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/fdb68c9\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/7008x4672+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F6f%2F8e%2F826a712a49b694128ad5b782a095%2Fdsc05379.jpg\")
<\/p>\n