Who's In the Race

Democratic Rep. Patty Garcia faces Republican Lupe Castillo, independent Chris Getty, and other candidates in the Nov. 3 general election in Illinois's 4th District. The seat opened after Rep. Chuy García (D-IL) announced he would not seek a fifth term in 2026. ​

Garcia holds a Ph.D. in education policy from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and served as chief of staff to former Rep. Chuy García, with more than 15 years of experience working with immigrant and working-class families, according to her campaign. She ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Castillo is a former Republican committeewoman for Chicago's 22nd Ward who describes herself as a wife, mother, and longtime resident of the district. She also ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Getty is mayor of Lyons and Lyons Township supervisor, and a longtime insurance agent. Edward Hershey is a teacher with 16 years in the profession.

What They Stand For

Garcia supports fully funding public schools, according to her campaign website. She has also backed:

  • Raising the federal minimum wage,
  • Defending immigrant families,
  • A "100% Pro-Union Investment" approach to labor; and
  • The statement "Healthcare Is a Right."

Castillo has described her goal as bringing "Pro-family values" to the district, according to her campaign website.

Getty has said he would "restore trust in government, protect the integrity of our elections, and defend the democratic values that make our country strong," according to his campaign website, and has said he would not caucus with either Democrats or Republicans, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Money Behind the Race

Federal Election Commission filings show Garcia raised about $359,000 through June 30 and had about $185,000 in the bank. Getty raised about $188,000 through June 30 and had about $132,000 on hand, according to FEC filings. Castillo reported no receipts in FEC filings.

Independent PAC has filed notices of pending independent expenditures totaling about $262,000 in support of Getty, according to the race record as of Oct. 13; those funds are pending and have not yet been spent.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

The Cook Political Report rated the race "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 9; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections rated it "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 2. Kalshi traders gave Democrats, whose nominee is Garcia, a 96.52 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 13.

Democrats carried the 4th District by wide margins in both recent cycles: Chuy García won with about 68 percent in 2022 and about 68 percent again in 2024. Statewide, Democrats won 14 of Illinois's 17 U.S. House seats in both 2022 and 2024. Democrat Kamala Harris carried Illinois in the 2024 presidential election with about 54 percent of the vote.

Voters in Illinois's 4th District can cast their ballots early or on Election Day, Nov. 3. Early voting runs Thursday, Sept. 24 through Monday, Nov. 2, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is Thursday, Oct. 29, by 5 p.m., according to WBEZ.

Registration deadlines vary by method: by mail, the deadline was Tuesday, Oct. 6; online, Sunday, Oct. 18, by 11:59 p.m.; and in person through grace-period registration, Wednesday, Oct. 7 through Election Day, according to the League of Women Voters of Illinois. Polls on Election Day are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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