The 2024 Illinois primary is coming up on March 19, and while no statewide offices will be on the ballot, there are plenty of races that could have a big impact on the national political scene.
Democrats will be looking to not only hold the White House, but also to avoid losing further ground in the House of Representatives during this election cycle, and several vulnerable Illinois Democrats are facing touch primary challenges this March.
So who is on the ballot in these key races? Here are the names that you could see this March.
President
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Democrats –
President Joe Biden is considered the favorite to secure nomination for a reelection bid, but three other Democratic candidates will also be on the ballot in Illinois.
Frankie Lozada, an entrepreneur, says on his campaign website that he’s planning to leverage his experience working with families seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border to inform comprehensive immigration reform, and will focus on increasing opportunities for minority business owners and homeowners.
Local
Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips is also running for president, citing his ability to work in a bipartisan fashion with both Democrats and Republicans while in Congress. His focuses would be improving access to housing, pursuing a Medicare for All healthcare plan, and to provide tuition-free college and vocational training.
Author Marianne Williamson, who launched an unsuccessful bid for president in 2020, is also running for office again in this election. Her campaign website includes extensive plans for combating climate change, spearheading new protections for children in the United States, and launching a massive plan to overhaul the healthcare system in the United States, focusing on root causes of health issues while also providing treatment options for all Americans.
Republicans –
There will be a total of five candidates on the Republican ballot for president in Illinois, including former President Donald Trump, who cruised to victory in the recent Iowa caucus.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are also on the ballot in Illinois for the March election. DeSantis’ campaign has focused on strengthening America’s economic position amid stiff competition from China, and to focus on improving recruitment and deployment efforts for the United States’ military.
Haley’s campaign has focused on drawing distinctions to her approach from Trump, who nominated her to the position of UN Ambassador at 2016. Haley says she will focus on improving conditions for the U.S. military, tackling inflation and to encourage parental control and choice in the education system.
Ryan Binkley, CEO of Generational Group in Texas, is also on the ballot in Illinois, with his website touting a plan to balance the federal budget within the next seven years. His website also includes plan to increase competition in the healthcare sphere, to expand the use of nuclear energy to help lessen dependence on oil and natural gas, and to secure the border and to expedite immigration proceedings to help reduce backlogs currently plaguing the system.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s name will appear on the ballot, but he dropped out of the race shortly before the Iowa caucus.
4th Congressional District
Democrats –
Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia is running for a fourth term in Congress from the 4th district, which covers portions of the West and Northwest Sides of Chicago, as well as suburbs like Brookfield, Burbank and parts of Elmhurst.
Garcia’s campaign website lists his priorities in office as pursuing Medicare for All, pushing for comprehensive immigration reform that includes permanent protections for DACA recipients and other paths to citizenship, and the passage of a Green New Deal to combat climate change.
Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez represents the city’s 15th Ward, which includes parts of West Englewood, Brighton Park and Back of the Yards. A fierce critic of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson in his role on the City Council, Lopez says his priorities will be to “seek common ground” and to raise the minimum wage if elected to Congress, according to an interview with Block Club Chicago.
He also wants to find solutions to the ongoing immigration crisis in the U.S., and to encourage fiscal responsibility in Washington.
Republicans –
There are no Republicans currently on the ballot in Illinois for this race.
7th Congressional District
Democrats –
Incumbent Rep. Danny K. Davis was first-elected to Congress in 1996, and he is once again running for reelection in what will be a hotly-contested race.
Davis has received high ratings from the AFL-CIO, Planned Parenthood and the National Education Association, among others, and has received endorsements from a slew of high-profile politicians, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker and others.
Nikhil Bhatia is one of four candidates seeking to knock off Davis in the Democratic primary. Bhatia, a teacher and principal, is a proponent of early-childcare funding and universal PreK at the federal level, as well as increased funding for climate change initiatives. Bhatia’s platform also includes passage of the John Lewis Voting Act and codifying abortion rights with new federal laws.
Kina Collins, who lost by just under 5,000 votes to Davis in the 2022 primary, will take another shot at the seat in Congress. An advocate against gun violence, Collins promises to pursue progressive legislation in Washington, including Medicare for All and gun control legislation, among others.
Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin is also in the race, citing her record of dismantling systemic racism in financial institutions, helping small businesses, and directing investments away from fossil fuel and gun industry interests and toward companies in the green energy space, among other platform stances.
Policy advocate Kouri Marshall, who worked for Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, is also in the race, focused on increasing the availability of affordable homes, along with ensuring access to reproductive healthcare and eliminating billions of dollars in student loan debt. His platform also includes expanding the child tax credit and investing in after-school programs for young Americans.
Republicans –
Chad Koppie is running unopposed in the Republican primary during this election cycle. He had previously run for U.S. Senate on several occasions, and will run in the seventh district this year, focusing on eliminating the national debt, removing the federal government from the nation’s educational system, and instituting immigration reform that includes a prohibition on “sanctuary cities,” among other platform planks.
12th Congressional District
Democrats –
Two candidates will vie for the Democratic nomination in this large Congressional district, which encompasses large swaths of southern and eastern Illinois.
Preston Gabriel Nelson is running as a Democrat in the race, pursuing a platform that includes term limits for members of Congress, a public option for healthcare, a simplification of the tax code, and a complete overhaul of the immigration system.
Brian Roberts, a Carbondale-based attorney, is also running for the position. He does not have a campaign website, but does have an active Facebook page for his campaign.
Republicans –
Incumbent Rep. Mike Bost will face a primary challenge in the 2024 election. Bost earned 75% of the vote in the last general election, and says he will continue to pursue aggressive tax reform and legislation to encourage energy independence if reelected. He has also sponsored legislation to give additional tax credits to farmers and to encourage investment in rural broadband, according to his campaign website.
Former State Sen. Darren Bailey, who lost his bid for governor against Gov. Pritzker in 2022, will challenge Bost for the 12th district seat. Bailey’s website indicates he will pursue legislation to expand gun rights in Congress, along with further restrictions on abortion access and bills to achieve energy independence.
14th Congressional District
Democrats –
Incumbent Rep. Lauren Underwood will run unopposed on the Democratic ticket as she seeks a four term in office representing the district, which includes Crystal Lake, Oswego and Yorkville.
Underwood has been a contributor to several healthcare laws, including the Healthcare Affordability Act. She has also pushed for increased access to reproductive healthcare in Illinois, and for new laws to prevent gun violence in the United States.
Republicans –
Two Republicans are seeking their party’s nomination in the 14th district, including Charlie Kim, a mediator and business executive.
Kim’s platform includes no-cost healthcare for Americans and supporting DACA recipients in pursuing immigration reform. Kim also will pursue legislation to reduce recidivism in the criminal justice system, and to pursue “realistic improvements in gun safety” while protecting Second Amendment rights.
James Marter, who has run against former Sen. Mark Kirk and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, will oppose Kim in the March primary. A business owner and entrepreneur, Marter’s platform includes reductions in spending to balance the federal budget and to bolster security at the U.S.-Mexico border, along with eliminating federal influence on the education system.
Supreme Court Justice – 1st District
Democrats –
Voters in the first district will select a justice for a full 10-year term, with incumbent Justice Joy Cunningham running for reelection to her seat. Cunningham replaced former Chief Justice Ann Burke in 2022. She earned her law degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago, and previously served as a judicial clerk and a general counsel for Northwestern Memorial System before being elected as a Cook County Circuit Court judge.
Judge Jesse Reyes, who represents Illinois’ 1st district appellate court, will oppose Cunningham in the Democratic primary. Reyes also graduated from John Marshall Law School, and was previously employed by the Chicago Board of Education’s law department. He also served as a senior supervising attorney with the Corporation Counsel’s Office in Chicago, and has been rated as “highly qualified” by the Illinois State Bar Association, among other groups.
Republicans -
There are no Republicans on the primary ballot for this race.
