2 Democrats On The Ballot For IL House District 84 Primary Race: 2026 Election

Two Democrats are running in the primary election in hopes of representing the 84th District of the Illinois House of Representatives.

Incumbent Stephanie Kifowit, a Democrat who has represented District 84 since 2013, will not seek an eighth term. Instead, she is hoping to become Illinois's next comptroller, succeeding Susana Mendoza, who announced in July that she would not seek a fourth term.

Saba Haider and Jared Ploger are seeking the Democratic nomination. Whoever wins is poised to face off against Brian Scopa, the only Republican candidate, in the November general election.

RELATED: IL 2026 Primary Election Guide: Who's Running, What You Need To Know

With a population of about 110,200, Illinois's 84th District covers Aurora, Oswego, Naperville and Montgomery.

Take a look at the candidates in the race:

Saba Haider, a member of the DuPage County Health Department Board of Health, is campaigning to lower costs for working families, fight back against federal overreach, and invest in education and public service.

"I know firsthand the struggles our working families are going through, and I want to work with our elected officials to find solutions to the problems we all face," she wrote on her campaign website. "I will use every tool available to ensure public safety, economic growth, and environmental sustainability so that ALL of our families can succeed."

Haider's leadership experience includes serving as director of the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation and chairperson of the DuPage County Strategic Planning Committee and Environmental Committee.

Jared Ploger, a teacher in the Valley View School District 365U and former Oswego District 308 school board member, said his priorities are affordability and property tax relief, strong public schools, lowering the cost of living, and investing in communities.

"I'm running for State Representative because I believe Illinois moves forward when we invest in our classrooms, value our workers, and build communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive," he wrote on his campaign website. "I'm ready to bring a collaborative, solutions-focused approach to Springfield that is grounded in experience, guided by service, and focused on delivering results for the 84th District."

Ploger was elected to the Oswego Community Unit School District 308 Board of Education in 2015, serving until 2025. He also serves as president of the Valley View Council teachers union.

Brian Scopa, a retired naval commander who served for 22 years, will challenge the winner of the Democratic primary. According to his campaign website, he will focus on empowering families by strengthening parental rights and advancing school choice, restoring fiscal discipline and economic opportunity, defending constitutional freedoms and individual rights, supporting law enforcement and public safety, and promoting transparency and accountability in state government.

"After two decades of service to our country, I'm ready to serve my community," Scopa wrote. "Illinois needs leaders who understand what it means to lead with integrity, defend our freedoms, and restore trust in our institutions."

Scopa serves as a precinct committeeman in the Naperville Township Republican Organization.