Democrat J.B. Pritzker won a third term as Illinois governor Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Republican Darren Bailey in a rematch of their 2022 contest, according to an AP report carried by KWQC.

The AP declared Pritzker the winner at 7:01 p.m. Central time, moments after polls closed across Illinois, the Chicago Tribune reported. Park Ridge and Niles voters cast ballots at polling places open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to the city of Park Ridge.

Pritzker is the first Democrat elected to three terms as Illinois governor, according to WAND-TV. The last three-term governor was Republican James R. Thompson, who served four terms from 1977 to 1991.

Northwest suburban ties on the ticket

Bailey's running mate, Aaron Del Mar, brought a northwest suburban profile to the Republican ticket. Del Mar, a Palatine businessman and former Palatine village council member, also serves as Cook County Republican Party chairman, according to the Chicago Tribune's profile of the lieutenant governor candidates. He grew up on Chicago's Northwest Side before his family moved to Palatine when he was a child, the Tribune reported.

On the Democratic side, former state Rep. Christian Mitchell ran alongside Pritzker and will become lieutenant governor. Mitchell replaced Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on the ticket after Stratton entered the U.S. Senate race, according to CBS News Chicago. Mitchell has served as a deputy governor in Pritzker's administration since 2019.

What shaped the race

The contest was a rematch. Pritzker defeated Bailey by nearly 13 percentage points in 2022, according to WGN-TV's voter guide. Independent Collin Corbett, a Palatine political consultant and former Republican strategist, was also on the ballot.

Affordability dominated the final stretch. Bailey pointed to property taxes and the cost of living as central issues. Pritzker cited raising the state minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 an hour and ending the state grocery tax, ABC 7 reported.

The two clashed over the SAFE-T Act, the 2021 law that eliminated cash bail, during their only debate Oct. 13 on WTTW, Capitol News Illinois reported. Bailey campaigned on repealing the law. Other debate topics included state spending, a new Bears stadium and data centers.

President Donald Trump endorsed Bailey in September, according to WGN-TV. Bailey said he welcomed the endorsement but tried to keep some distance, saying the race was about Illinois issues, Axios Chicago reported.

Money gap

Pritzker held a large fundraising advantage. He spent nearly $23.8 million from July through September, compared with about $941,000 by Bailey's committee, according to MultiState. Pritzker entered October with about $44.4 million on hand to Bailey's $482,000.

The Chicago Tribune reported Pritzker has spent more than $400 million of his personal wealth across his three campaigns for governor, including more than $50 million in the 2026 race. Bailey's major donor from 2022, billionaire Richard Uihlein, gave only $6,900 this cycle, the Tribune reported.