Race To Face Pritzker: IL Gubernatorial Republican Primary Election 2026

Tuesday should be a relatively quiet night for JB Pritzker, as the state's 43rd governor has no challengers in the primary election. The same can't be said for the four Republican candidates hoping voters check their name at the ballot box, which would set up a showdown with Pritzker in November.

When candidates filed for this year's contests over the fall, seven Republicans signed up for the March 17 primary. Since then, three have dropped out, including Max Solomon (withdrew on Dec. 1, 2025), Joseph Severino (removed for insufficient signatures on Jan. 8) and Gregg Moore (disqualified by the Illinois State Board of Elections on Jan. 22).

That leaves a field of four with 2022 GOP nominee Darren Bailey, former Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski, businessman Rick Heidner and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick on the ballot.

RELATED: IL Governor's Race Heats Up As 4 Republicans Vie For Chance To Unseat Pritzker

Bailey, of Louisville, is eyeing a rematch with Pritzker in November. The former state senator and state representative ran an unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in 2022 and also came up short in a Congressional primary two years later. The downstate farmer has chosen Aaron Del Mar as his running mate.

Bailey has previously served in the Illinois Senate for the 55th District and was also member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 109th District in Southern Illinois.

Voters wondered if Bailey would continue his campaign following the deaths of four family members in an October 2025 helicopter crash. Bailey's son, Zachary, his wife, Kelsey, and their two young children, Vada Rose, age 12, and Samuel, age 7, died in the crash in Montana.

"Many have asked if we plan to stay in the race for Governor. After a lot of prayer and honest conversations, we've decided to continue," Bailey said in November. "We believe Illinois is worth fighting for, and we’re committed to moving forward — one day at a time."

One of the ideas the 59-year-old is hoping to bring more attention is his proposed DOGE-like system for Illinois, mirroring the efforts Elon Musk and President Donald Trump made with their Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year. That agency has since disbanded, but Bailey thinks it could work here.

"It needs to be broken down," Bailey said earlier this month in Springfield regarding the state's budget, reports Capitol News Illinois. "It needs to be audited. It needs to be opened up so that people know where the money's coming from. I am very confident there are going to be a lot of waste discovery in that."

While most polls heading into election day have Bailey with a commanding lead, the other three candidates think they can pull off an upset.

Dabrowski, of Wilmette, who runs Wirepoints.org, a conservative research publication, has Carrie Mendoza with him on the ticket.

Dabrowski, 62, who holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a master's degree from the University of Chicago, is making his first run for public office. Earlier this month in a Patch questionnaire, he emphasized that affordability is the most pressing issue currently facing the state.

"As governor, I will veto any and all tax increases and implement a range of spending cuts to reduce Illinoisans’ tax burdens," Dabrowski said. "That includes terminating welfare benefits for noncitizens, serious consolidation of our massive number of government units and ending unfunded mandates that Springfield imposes on local governments."

Regarding public safety, Dabrowski expressed support for repealing the SAFE-T Act. He said criminals are prioritized over victims under the Democratic Party’s failed policies.

Mendrick, 55, of Woodridge, the DuPage County Sheriff since 2018, is joined by Robert Renteria for lieutenant governor on the ticket. He is also committed to ending what he calls "soft-on-crime policies," as well as defending parental rights, and delivering quality education to every child in the state.

According to his website, Mendrick's vision as governor includes lowering taxes, auditing wasteful government spending, and strengthening job opportunities through workforce training and business-friendly policies.

Heidner, of Barrington Hills, is a real estate developer and owner of a video gambling company, and has chosen Christina Neitzke-Troike as his lieutenant governor pick.

On his website, Heidner said he is running for Governor because he understands what Illinois families are facing — because he lived it.

"Under the failed leadership of JB Pritzker, Illinois has become unaffordable, unsafe, and increasingly impossible for working families, young people, and seniors to stay in the state and thrive," his campaign says. "Rick knows what it means to struggle, to build, and to lift others up — and he believes Illinois deserves a governor who reflects those values once again."