Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker won a third term in office on Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Darren Bailey in a race called by multiple media outlets as polls closed. Pritzker led by as many as 250,000 votes by 8:15 p.m. and spoke at a campaign event at Navy Pier in Chicago, calling for more unity to resolve political disputes.
Bailey previously lost to Pritzker by more than 500,000 votes, or about 12.5% of the vote, in 2022.
Pritzker is the third governor of Illinois to serve more than two terms and the only Democrat to do so. Illinois does not impose term limits on its governors.
In his speech, Pritzker acknowledged his opponent, saying Bailey “ran hard and gave it his all,” and said he believed both men love the state. He called for more unity to resolve political disputes between the two. “My time as governor has been grounded in a somewhat radical idea – nothing good can be built on the governing notion that the place you want to change is somehow fundamentally irreparable. Hope and fear are from the same family. Both demand you believe in a future you cannot see,” Pritzker said.
"For eight years, I've asked you to join me, in hope. And I'd like to take a measure tonight of what hope, and hard work, has gotten us," he said.
Pritzker ended his remarks by asking, “Are you ready for the fight?” framing his election as the start of a fight “for what’s next.”
Bailey had not appeared at his campaign event to concede the race an hour after it was called.
If Pritzker were to leave office during his next term, newly elected Lt. Gov. Christian Mitchell would succeed him. Mitchell took over the role after Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton launched her campaign to succeed the retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Pritzker's third term solidifies Democratic control of Illinois government, providing a key platform for a prominent national figure.
- The victory positions Pritzker as a leading contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, a subject that has dominated political speculation around his second term.
- The result underscores the enduring political divide in Illinois, with the Democratic stronghold of Cook County overwhelming the Republican-leaning downstate regions.
Background
J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, first won the Illinois governorship in 2018. He won reelection against Republican Darren Bailey in 2022 by a double-digit margin. Illinois does not limit the number of terms a governor can serve. The 2026 election saw Bailey, endorsed by President Donald Trump, attempt to bridge the gap between downstate voters and suburban Chicago, but he was unable to offset Pritzker's support in the Democratic strongholds.
Key Perspectives
J.B. Pritzker: Said his opponent ran hard and that both men love the state, called for unity and hope over fear, and framed his third term as the beginning of a new fight for Illinois.
Darren Bailey: Ran on a platform backed by President Trump, attempting to galvanize downstate and rural voters while improving his performance in Chicagoland, and did not concede the election in the immediate hour after it was called.
What to Watch
- Whether Pritzker launches a presidential exploratory committee in the coming months.
- The composition of the Illinois General Assembly and whether Pritzker pursues a major new legislative agenda.
- The future direction of the Illinois Republican Party after a third consecutive statewide loss.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedPritzker won a third term as Illinois governor, defeating Bailey, and called for unity.The Center Square Illinois: “Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker won reelection for a third term, beating his two-time GOP challenger Darren Bailey.”
- SupportedBailey was the Trump-backed challenger Pritzker defeated.The Center Square Illinois: “Bailey, a Trump endorsed candidate”
- SupportedPritzker had faced questions about a potential 2028 presidential run.The Center Square Illinois: “Pritzker has faced questions over many months about a potential presidential candidacy in two years.”
- SupportedMultiple media outlets called the race for Pritzker as polls closed on Tuesday.The Center Square Illinois: “Multiple media reports called the race for Pritzker as soon as the polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.”
- SupportedPritzker led by as many as 250,000 votes by 8:15 p.m.The Center Square Illinois: “Pritzker led by as many as 250,000 votes by 8:15 p.m.”
- SupportedAt a Navy Pier campaign event in Chicago, Pritzker called for more unity to resolve political disputes between him and Bailey.The Center Square Illinois: “At his campaign event at Navy Pier in Chicago, Pritzker said his opponent “ran hard and gave it his all,” and he believes both men love the state. He wished Bailey and his family well and called for more unity to resolve political disputes between the two.”
- SupportedPritzker said Bailey “ran hard and gave it his all.”The Center Square Illinois: “Pritzker said his opponent “ran hard and gave it his all,””
- SupportedBailey previously lost to Pritzker by more than 500,000 votes, or about 12.5% of the vote, in 2022.The Center Square Illinois: “Pritzker previously beat Bailey by more than 500,000 votes, or about 12.5% of the vote, in 2022 .”
- SupportedPritzker is the third Illinois governor to serve more than two terms and the only Democrat to do so.The Center Square Illinois: “Pritzker will be the third governor of the state to serve more than two terms, and the only Democrat to do so.”
- SupportedPritzker said his time as governor had been grounded in the idea that nothing good can be built on the notion that the place one wants to change is fundamentally irreparable, and that hope and fear both require belief in an unseen future.The Center Square Illinois: ““My time as governor has been grounded in a somewhat radical idea – nothing good can be built on the governing notion that the place you want to change is somehow fundamentally irreparable. Hope and fear are from the same family. Both demand you believe in a future you cannot see,” Pritzker said.”
- SupportedPritzker said, “For eight years, I've asked you to join me, in hope,” and wanted to measure what hope and hard work had gotten them.The Center Square Illinois: ““For eight years, I’ve asked you to join me, in hope. And I’d like to take a measure tonight of what hope, and hard work, has gotten us.””
- SupportedPritzker ended his remarks by asking “Are you ready for the fight?” and called his election the start of a fight “for what’s next.”The Center Square Illinois: “Pritzker ended his remarks by asking a campaign slogan question, “Are you ready for the fight,” calling his election just the start of a fight “for what’s next.””