Joliet voters decide Pritzker-Bailey rematch

Voters in Joliet cast ballots on Tuesday to determine whether JB Pritzker will serve a third term as Illinois governor. The incumbent Democrat faces a rematch against Republican Darren Bailey, a former state senator and farmer from southern Illinois. Pritzker leads in recent polling, having maintained a comfortable advantage throughout the campaign. If he wins, Pritzker becomes the first Democrat elected to a third consecutive term in the state's history.

Pritzker runs alongside Christian Mitchell, who serves as deputy governor. Mitchell replaced Juliana Stratton on the ticket after Stratton won the primary for U.S. Senate. Mitchell previously served three terms as a state representative and has held his current position in Pritzker's administration since 2019. Bailey runs with Aaron Del Mar, the chairman of the Cook County Republican Party.

The two candidates met for a debate on WTTW on Oct. 13. Pat Brady, a former Illinois GOP head now with Mercury Public Affairs, assessed the performance after the event. "The governor came across as a governor. It was fact versus fiction," Brady said. "I thought the governor was very effective, and I give him credit for even doing it."

Support for Pritzker includes an endorsement from a prominent Republican figure. The endorser cited the need to represent voters who lost faith in the party due to extreme positions. "I'm a Republican. I will continue to vote Republican this November and also after that," the endorser said Insider. "But I cannot in good conscience allow for the keys of the governor's mansion to be given to Darren Bailey."

Bailey previously lost to Pritzker in 2022. During the pandemic, Bailey gained attention by challenging Pritzker's executive orders on masking in public settings. His current campaign follows a personal tragedy in October 2025. Bailey's son, daughter-in-law, and their two children were in Montana when the incident occurred. Another supporter noted that Bailey is a strong candidate despite the loss.

"Bailey is a very good candidate. He had a horrible tragedy. Amazing that he can go forward, but his a large portion of his family was wiped out. I've already endorsed him. I'm all for Bailey," the supporter said. The race concludes as polls close across the state, with results expected to shape the leadership of the Illinois government for the next four years.