Bailey clinches GOP nomination in Illinois rematch with Pritzker
TL;DR
Darren Bailey won the Illinois GOP gubernatorial primary with just under 54% of the vote, earning a rematch against incumbent Gov. JB Pritzker in November. Bailey, a downstate farmer who lost to Pritzker in 2022, ran a quieter campaign this time, while Pritzker portraying him as aligned with Trump and attacking his policies. The primary included rivals Ted Dabrowski, James Mendrick and Rick Heidner, and Bailey’s personal tragedy earlier this year helped shape his campaign narrative.
- Darren Bailey wins rematch bid against JB Pritzker in Illinois governor race Chicago Tribune
- Illinois Governor Primary Election 2026 Live Results NBC News
- Election 2026: Pritzker To Face Bailey — Again, Preckwinkle Defeats Reilly And More Block Club Chicago
- Bailey wins GOP primary, setting up Pritzker rematch Axios
- Illinois primary election day 2026: Darren Bailey projected to win Republican primary for governor to challenge JB Pritzker ABC7 Chicago
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