Our live coverage of the Illinois primaries has ended
Follow the latest updates here on US political news. And click here for all the Illinois primary results.
Here's what we covered Tuesday
• Senate: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton wins the Democratic primary for an open Illinois Senate seat, a stunning rise for a little-known state officer now on a glide path to Washington. If victorious in November, Stratton would become the sixth Black woman to serve in the Senate in US history.
• House: In other notable races, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller will win the Democratic primary in the 2nd District, foiling a comeback attempt by former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. In the 9th, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss will win over a field that included State Sen. Laura Fine and researcher Kat Abughazaleh. Click here for all the results.
• Governor: Gov. JB Pritzker, who ran unopposed, formally became the Democratic nominee ahead of a potential 2028 presidential bid. Darren Bailey won the GOP nomination, setting up a general election rematch of the 2022 race.
Stratton hails victory and vows to “bring this fight straight to Donald Trump’s door”
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton celebrated her projected victory in the Democratic primary for US Senate in Illinois on Tuesday night, declaring that “courage will bring this fight straight to Donald Trump’s door.”
Addressing an enthusiastic crowd, Stratton thanked Gov. JB Pritzker for his support in the campaign, after a super PAC he helped fund spent nearly $15 million backing her bid.
And pivoting to the fall campaign, Stratton said that “tomorrow, as we turn to face a Republican opponent in the general election, we will confront new challenges and new attacks from a candidate unfit to stand up to Donald Trump.”
CNN has projected that former Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy will win the GOP nomination for the Senate race.
Stratton defeated US Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly in the hard-fought primary race that drew more than $57 million worth of ad spending, and she advances to the general election as the heavy favorite to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin in the reliably blue state.
CNN’s Abby Phillip breaks down the key races in Illinois after primary voters make their voices heard.
With competitive race, turnout in Illinois Democratic primary high, but not record setting
More than 1.1 million votes have been counted so far in the Illinois Democratic Senate primary.
That’s the second most votes cast in a midterm Democratic primary in the last two decades.
This year’s Senate primary was highly competitive, a relatively rarity in a strongly Democratic state where seats aren’t frequently open.
When counting is done, about as many votes are likely to have been cast this year as in 2002, when Rod Blagojevich won a competitive Democratic primary on the way to his first term as governor.
Click here for all the results from Illinois.
Stratton’s victory hands a defeat to pro-crypto group that spent millions against her
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton handed a defeat to a pro-crypto group that spent millions against her in Democratic primary.
Her win comes as some Democrats have voiced concern about the crypto industry’s efforts to influence elections this cycle. Fairshake, a pro-crypto super PAC, ended January with more than $191 million cash on hand, according to federal filings, and spent more than $8 million on ads attacking Stratton during the campaign.
Stratton and her allies have pushed back on the crypto-aligned money in the race. In an interview with CNN last week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a proponent of crypto regulation, said the contest would be a test case of whether industry super PACs can shape the outcomes of elections.
Krishnamoorthi takes one last jab at Trump as he concedes defeat in Senate primary
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi conceded defeat to Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton Tuesday night, firing one last arrow at President Donald Trump to close his campaign.
“Obviously, this is not the result we sought, but unlike Donald Trump, I’m not going to question the outcome,” the congressman told a crowd of supporters that had already begun to thin out of his downtown Chicago watch party.
Krishnamoorthi said he called Stratton to congratulate her shortly before he took the stage.
As he has done throughout his political career, Krishnamoorthi, whose full name is Subramanian Raja Krishnamoorthi, poked fun at his 29-letter name and leaned on his immigrant backstory. Krishnamoorthi was born in New Delhi and immigrated with his parents as a child. He would’ve been the first immigrant to represent Illinois in the Senate in generations.
La Shawn Ford will win Democratic primary for Illinois’ 7th District, CNN projects
State Rep. La Shawn Ford will win the Democratic primary in the Chicago-area 7th Congressional District, according to a projection from CNN’s Decision Desk.
November will be the first time in nearly 30 years that Rep. Danny Davis’ name is not on the ballot. Davis announced his retirement from the House last year and endorsed Ford during his announcement.
Davis’ departure brought a swarm of Democrats to the primary hoping to replace him. Ford will defeat candidates like city treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, activist Kina Collins and emergency room doctor Thomas Fischer, along with at least 10 others.
The race was one of several in Illinois testing the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, with an AIPAC-connected group running ads supporting Conyears-Ervin, prompting criticism from rival campaigns.
The 7th District, which includes portions of downtown Chicago and some of its South and West sides and stretching into the suburbs, is solidly Democratic. Ford will be heavily favored in November.
Melissa Conyears-Ervin concedes in 7th District primary to state Rep. La Shawn Ford
Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin has conceded the Illinois 7th Congressional District primary to state Rep. La Shawn Ford.
Conyears-Ervin narrowly trailed Ford in the race to succeed Rep. Danny Davis, who announced his retirement and endorsed Ford last year. The district, which covers parts of Chicago and its western suburbs, is heavily Democratic, meaning whoever wins the primary will be heavily favored in the general election.
Gov. Pritzker wins twice tonight
Gov. JB Pritzker won twice tonight.
Not only did the Illinois governor pave his way to a likely third term, but his chosen candidate in the hard-fought Democratic Senate primary prevailed, with Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton projected to win a three-way, hard-fought contest.
Stratton defeated two members of the Illinois congressional delegation: Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi, who had a significant financial edge in the race.
Pritzker, who is closely eyeing a 2028 Democratic presidential bid, emerges from the primary as a winner and a kingmaker. What it ultimately means for a future White House campaign is an open question, but for tonight, it’s a double win Pritzker will gladly bask in.
Energy is high at Stratton watch party
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has just been projected to win the Illinois Senate primary — and her supporters are celebrating.
A crowd at a Stratton watch party has been erupting into cheers every time the results are broadcast on the local station that is playing on a big screen. A few minutes earlier, they watched Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi give a speech.
Music is blaring through the room, people are hugging and others are dancing and waving signs.
Stratton, who was backed by Gov. JB Pritzker, is now the heavy favorite in November to succeed the 81-year-old Sen. Dick Durbin in a state where no Republican has won statewide in 12 years. If she is elected, it would mark the second time Illinois voters elected a Black woman to represent them in the US Senate.
Daniel Biss will win the Democratic primary in Illinois’ 9th District, CNN projects
Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston and a former state lawmaker, will win the Democratic primary in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, CNN projects.
Biss beat a crowded field of more than a dozen candidates, including researcher and online commentator Kat Abughazaleh and state Sen. Laura Fine.
But he also had the backing of several progressive groups and prominent leaders in the district, including incumbent Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who announced last year she would not seek reelection.
Biss will be heavily favored to win the general election in this solidly blue district, which includes parts of Chicago’s North Side and suburbs.
Juliana Stratton will win Illinois Democratic primary for Senate, CNN projects
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton will win the Democratic primary for an open Senate seat, CNN projects, a stunning rise for a little-known state officer now on a glide path to Washington.
If victorious in November, Stratton would become the second Black woman to represent Illinois in the Senate – and just the sixth Black woman senator in US history. Former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun in 1992 became the first Black woman ever elected to the Senate.
She would join Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland in giving the Senate three Black women members for the first time.
Stratton leaned heavily on Pritzker’s popularity with Illinois Democrats. He appeared regularly in ads and campaign literature supporting her, and she often touted his support and their work together on the campaign trail.
It’s a crucial demonstration of Pritzker’s political prowess in his backyard as he considers a bid for president.
Stratton beat a crowded field that included two members of the Illinois congressional delegation: US Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly. Krishnamoorthi in particular mounted a spirited campaign, bringing in $30 million through late February, which allowed for a sustained television ad push that began last summer while his opponents were still scrambling to raise money to get on air.
She will now face GOP candidate Don Tracy, a former Illinois Republican Party chair, in November, CNN projects.
Ths post was updated with details on Stratton’s GOP opponent.
Former US Rep. Melissa Bean will win the Democratic primary in 8th District, CNN projects
Former US Rep. Melissa Bean will win the Democratic primary in Illinois’ 8th Congressional District in the Chicago suburbs, CNN projects, setting her up to return to Congress.
Bean has highlighted her prior experience serving in Congress during her campaign, with one ad saying that her support for the Affordable Care Act cost her a fourth term. She’s also campaigned on protecting healthcare and said she wants to “get (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) off our streets.”
A super PAC affiliated with the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee also boosted her profile with over $3 million in ad spending.
Bean will beat seven other candidates and in the heavily Democratic district, she will be favored to win the seat and replace Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who’s running for Senate.
Sense of unease seems to set in at Krishnamoorthi watch party
Supporters of US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi started filing into his Downtown Chicago election night watch party shortly after 7 p.m. local time, mingling amicably as they sipped on $15 domestic beers and picked at skewered appetizers.
One thing they were not doing? Watching election results.
While the night opened with the local ABC affiliate’s election results show, the feed was taken down shortly after 8:30 p.m. local time and was replaced with a “Raja for Illinois” screen.
The programming change came as early returns showed Krishnamoorthi continuing to trail Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton as the vote totals ticked up. Some key suburban counties — the strength of Krishnamoorthi’s base — remain outstanding as do many smaller pockets downstate, where pro-Krishnamoorthi ads ran unopposed.
Still, there’s been little to celebrate here and the unease appears to be settling in.
Darren Bailey will win Republican nomination for Illinois governor, CNN projects
Republican Darren Bailey will win the GOP nomination for Illinois governor, according to a projection from CNN’s Decision Desk.
He’ll face Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker in a general election rematch of the 2022 race, when Bailey lost to Pritzker by nearly 13 percentage points.
Bailey is a former state senator and farmer who drew attention for using charged rhetoric in the last election, notably calling Chicago a “hellhole” at the state fair that year.
He changed his tune this campaign after losing four family members, including his son, in a Montana helicopter crash last year, telling a local NBC station shortly after that he realized in “this journey of loss over the last six weeks, words matter.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker slams Trump in fiery speech
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who is eyeing a potential 2028 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, sharply criticized President Donald Trump and his administration’s immigration enforcement actions Tuesday night as he celebrated his own renomination to a third term.
Pritzker, who ran unopposed in the primary, pivoted to criticism of Trump and congressional Republicans within minutes of his victory speech.
“Everything we care about is under siege from Washington,” Pritzker told the crowd gathered in Chicago for what was billed as a general election kickoff event.
Pritzker said an accountability commission he has established will gather evidence of “wrongdoing” by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who were deployed to Chicago to hold them “criminally and civilly liable” for their actions.
Tuesday’s election will offer a test of Pritzker’s clout in his home state. The governor, the billionaire heir to a hotel chain fortune, has used his political and financial power to boost Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the US Senate race to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin.
Donna Miller will win Democratic primary in Illinois’ 2nd District, CNN projects
Cook County commissioner Donna Miller will win the Democratic primary in Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, according to a projection from CNN’s Decision Desk.
The district’s current congresswoman, Democratic Rep. Robin Kelly, is running for Senate.
Miller’s run hasn’t been without some controversy. Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky recently withdrew her endorsement of Miller over support for her campaign from groups linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The group’s involvement turned the race into one of several Democratic contests in Illinois, where AIPAC’s influence on the party became a major issue.
The 2nd District, which includes parts of Chicago and stretches south, is deeply blue, and Miller will be heavily favored to clinch a win there in November.
How a young candidate in Illinois' 9th District is trying to turn viral moments into votes
An ability to generate attention online has allowed Kat Abughazaleh to upend the traditional political playbook in her bid to win a House seat in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District.
The winner of the March 17 primary will be heavily favored to win the seat held by Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who is retiring at the end of her current term.
Abughazaleh’s strategy highlights a larger challenge facing Democrats, as they look for new ways to reach voters beyond traditional news, TV ads and mailers. A wave of younger candidates, many of them seeking to unseat Democratic incumbents, have argued the party must change its tactics and messaging to meet the current moment under President Donald Trump’s second term.
The digital-first approach also tests whether rallying support online can help make up for potential weak points campaigns may have.
A central challenge for Abughazaleh has been establishing herself in a district she’s lived in since last May. She has turned her campaign office into a mutual aid hub, where residents can receive items like menstrual products, and has participated in protests and local events. But the other leading contenders in the race — Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and state Sen. Laura Fine — have both served in the state legislature and lived in the district for decades.
Read more about Abughazaleh’s campaign and what it could signal to Democrats here.
Gov. JB Pritzker, seeking a third term in Illinois, formally becomes Democratic nominee
As the polls close in Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker, unopposed for renomination, takes one step closer to a third term.
Pritzker, whose name has been floated as a potential 2028 presidential contender and who recently waded into clashes with President Donald Trump over ICE presence in Chicago, will be heavily favored in November. He easily sailed to reelection for his last two terms by margins of at least 12 percentage points.
This is Pritzker’s first gubernatorial campaign without Lieutenant Gov. Juliana Stratton by his side; Stratton is just one of several Democratic candidates in a crowded primary vying to replace outgoing Sen. Dick Durbin.
Joining him on the ticket this year is Christian Mitchell, a former state representative who served in a senior role during the governor’s first term.
After a congressman dropped out, his chief of staff is on a glide path to replace him
Patty Garcia will become the Democratic nominee in the 4th Congressional District, running unopposed in the primary after her boss – US Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia – made a late decision not to seek reelection.
The congressman said his abrupt move just before the filing deadline came after he received troubling health news. Patty Garcia, who is his chief of staff but not related to the lawmaker, was the only Democrat to file for the seat.
Garcia’s actions, which appeared to orchestrate his departure to ensure he would be replaced by his hand-picked successor, drew criticism from members of both parties and led to a formal reprimand by his colleagues in the US House.
A similar scenario played out earlier this month in the US Senate when Montana Republican Steve Daines announced his retirement shortly before a candidate filing deadline in a move intended to block Democrats from fielding a top recruit for a potential open seat.
As the Democratic nominee in the 4th District, Garcia will be favored in November, but two other progressives – former field organizer Mayra Macias and Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez – are running as independents.
Polls are closing in Illinois
It is 8 p.m. ET and polls are closing in Illinois’ primary election.
The state doesn’t have party registration, so voters can vote in either primary.
Here’s a rundown:
- The retirement of Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin has led to an expensive primary to replace him, headlined by US Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.
- Krishnamoorthi has led in fundraising and Stratton has the support of Gov. JB Pritzker. Kelly is backed by the Congressional Black Caucus.
- Several Democratic House primaries in the Chicago area are testing the power of pro-Israel groups.
- Meantime, Pritzker is a frequently discussed 2028 presidential contender, but first he’s got to win a third term. He’s unopposed for renomination.
