With the Illinois primary election rapidly approaching, campaigns are churning into high gear to help secure nominations for office in the state.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection to his post amid an eventful term in office, and there are six Republican candidates that are hoping to give the state just its third GOP governor in the last 20 years.
Pritzker, who defeated Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in the 2018 race, has invited a slew of challengers who have criticized his handling of the state’s budget, the COVID pandemic and more over the years.
Those candidates are currently trying to differentiate themselves from one another in hopes of defeating Pritzker in the 2022 General Election this November.
Here are the six Republican candidates currently on the ballot in Illinois, along with their lieutenant governor selections.
Darren Bailey/Stephanie Trussell
Bailey, a state senator representing the 109th District in southern Illinois, hade made a reputation for himself after filing lawsuits against Pritzker’s executive orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bailey has prioritized lowering taxes and removing any remaining COVID mitigations as his top campaign pledges, saying that the state’s economy requires full opening to grow and expand.
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He also has proposed bills that would roll back what he calls “onerous gun legislation,” and says he fully opposes state and taxpayer funding of abortions.
Richard Irvin/Avery Bourne
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Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin has made prioritizing investments in police and law enforcement the hallmark of his campaign, criticizing crime bills and police reform legislation passed by Pritzker and Democrats in the General Assembly.
Irvin says that he is proposing legislation to hire more police officers to combat increases in crime, specifically in Chicago, and has also proposed bills that would cut property taxes, curtail government spending, and to establish term limits for state lawmakers.
Gary Rabine/Aaron Del Mar
Rabine has campaigned on his credentials in the world of business, citing his creation of more than 30 small businesses as one of the key components of his campaign.
His campaign pledges to use that expertise to push legislation that would encourage investment and job creation in the state, along with cutting taxes on the state’s residents.
Rabine has also proposed more funding for law enforcement as part of his platform.
Paul Schimpf/Carolyn Schofield
A former state senator in Illinois’ 58th District, Schimpf served on a wide variety of committees during his time in Springfield, including the Judiciary committee and the Telecommunications and Agriculture committees.
A former Marine who graduated from Southern Illinois University’s School of Law, Schimpf has made cleaning up corruption a priority for his campaign. He also opposes government overreach in the handling of the COVID pandemic, as well as opposing vaccine mandates of any kind.
Max Solomon/Latasha Fields
A licensed attorney and ordained Christian minister, Solomon’s campaign website describes him as a “social and fiscal conservative.”
His campaign says that it will emphasize legislation that would allow parents to receive vouchers to send their children to private schools, as well as bills to cut taxes and bills prohibiting mask mandates and other COVID mitigations.
Jesse Sullivan/Kathleen Murphy
A businessman, Sullivan has pitched himself as an “anti-politician” who plans to tackle several issues in Illinois, including tax reform and increased funding in law enforcement.
His campaign website pledges to reduce business taxes to encourage small businesses to open in Illinois, along with promises to address issues with the public employee pension system in the state.
Sullivan has also put forth a campaign platform plank to increase investment in law enforcement through his “Safe Streets Plan,” which will emphasize “Enforcement,” “Protecting Heroes” and “Restoring Accountability.”
