Who's In the Race
Democrat JB Pritzker faces Republican Darren Bailey in Illinois' governor's race today, Nov. 3. Pritzker is the incumbent governor and is running for reelection. The race is a rematch: the two candidates last faced off for the governor's seat in 2022, a contest which Pritzker won by 514,653 votes.
Both nominees won their March 17 primaries. Pritzker ran in a two-candidate Democratic field and collected 1,197,587 votes — more than twice the entire Republican primary field's total of 570,364. On the Republican side, Bailey won with 304,162 votes, beating second-place Ted Dabrowski by 138,933 votes.
Endorsements
Bailey has the backing of President Trump, who endorsed him in September. The Daily Herald also endorsed Bailey.
Meanwhile, state legislator Jim Durkin has endorsed Pritzker in the general election, along with multiple organizations including the Human Rights Campaign.
Race Outlook: Ratings and Polling
Every major race-rating outlet has placed this contest firmly in Pritzker's column.
Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball both rate the race Solid Democratic, updated Oct. 28. Inside Elections rates it Solid Democratic as well, updated Oct. 23. The consensus rating is also Solid Democratic, updated Oct. 23.
Previous Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Democrat Kamala Harris carried Illinois with 54% of the vote to Republican Donald Trump's 43%. That 11-point margin reflects Illinois's consistent lean toward Democratic presidential candidates and provides a useful backdrop for the governor's race.
Meanwhile, in the last Illinois governor's race in 2022, Pritzker defeated Bailey with 55% of the vote to Bailey's 42%.
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