March 17–18, 2026 — Chicago, Illinois — FINAL RESULTS
Illinois voters delivered a landmark primary night on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 — choosing nominees for governor, U.S. Senate, and six open U.S. House seats across the state. The night produced several historic firsts, a dramatic upset, and a governor's rematch that almost nobody expected to see again. Here is the complete, race-by-race breakdown of every result.
🏛️ U.S. SENATE — Democratic Primary
✅ WINNER: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton
| Candidate | Vote % | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Juliana Stratton (Lt. Governor) | ~39.4% | ✅ WINNER |
| 🥈 Raja Krishnamoorthi (U.S. Rep. IL-8) | ~33.6% | ❌ |
| 🥉 Robin Kelly (U.S. Rep. IL-2) | ~18.4% | ❌ |
| Others | ~8.6% | ❌ |
What it means: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Dick Durbin, who is retiring. Durbin has held that Senate seat since 1997. Stratton was backed by Governor JB Pritzker, who endorsed and donated millions to her campaign. Both Stratton and Kelly are Black — Kelly having the endorsement of the Congressional Black Caucus. Stratton's win is a major test of Pritzker's influence as he eyes a 2028 presidential run.
🏛️ U.S. SENATE — Republican Primary
✅ WINNER: Don Tracy (Former Illinois Republican Party Chairman)
Don Tracy, an attorney and former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, won the GOP nomination. He will face Stratton in November — as a heavy underdog in a state that has not elected a Republican to statewide office since 2014.
🏛️ GOVERNOR — Democratic Primary
✅ WINNER: Gov. JB Pritzker (Unopposed)
Pritzker ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination for a third term. JB Pritzker is aiming for a third term in 2026 ahead of a possible presidential campaign in 2028.
🏛️ GOVERNOR — Republican Primary
✅ WINNER: Darren Bailey
The 2026 Illinois primary results for governor have set up a rematch between Gov. JB Pritzker and his 2022 Republican challenger Darren Bailey, after CBS News projects Bailey has won the GOP primary. Pritzker beat Bailey by about 13 points in the 2022 gubernatorial election.
🏛️ U.S. HOUSE — Illinois 2nd Congressional District
✅ WINNER: Donna Miller (D) — Cook County Commissioner
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller defeated former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. — who was attempting a political comeback — in the Democratic primary for the open seat vacated by Robin Kelly, who ran for Senate. Miller held an early lead with 41.3% vs. Jackson's 33.5%.
🏛️ U.S. HOUSE — Illinois 4th Congressional District
✅ WINNER: Patty Garcia (D) — Unopposed
Jesus "Chuy" Garcia is retiring after four terms. He announced his retirement after the filing deadline — but before ballot certification — to allow his anointed successor to succeed him with no primary competition. Patty Garcia, the incumbent's Chief of Staff, filed just before the deadline. The House formally rebuked "Chuy" Garcia for this maneuver. While they share a surname, the two are not related.
🏛️ U.S. HOUSE — Illinois 7th Congressional District
✅ WINNER: La Shawn Ford (D) — Illinois State Representative
La Shawn Ford wins the Democratic primary in Illinois' 7th Congressional District, NBC News projects. Ford won the endorsement of retiring incumbent Danny Davis. Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin finished second, and Kina Collins — who had twice challenged Davis previously — finished third.
🏛️ U.S. HOUSE — Illinois 8th Congressional District
✅ WINNER: Melissa Bean (D)
Melissa Bean wins the Democratic primary in Illinois' 8th Congressional District, NBC News projects. Bean wins the seat vacated by Raja Krishnamoorthi, who ran for Senate. The Republican nominee is Jennifer Davis, projected by ABC7 Chicago.
🏛️ U.S. HOUSE — Illinois 9th Congressional District ⭐ MOST WATCHED RACE
✅ WINNER: Daniel Biss (D) — Evanston Mayor
One of the most closely watched congressional races in the 2026 midterms is in the 9th Congressional District in Illinois, where 15 Democrats jumped into the race after longterm U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky decided to retire at the end of her term. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, social media influencer and journalist Kat Abughazaleh, and Illinois state Sen. Laura Fine appear to be the frontrunners in the crowded race for a seat Schakowsky has held since 1999.
CBS News projects Evanston mayor Daniel Biss has won the Democratic primary for Illinois' 9th Congressional District.
Biss defeated Kat Abughazaleh — the Palestinian-American TikTok journalist backed by Justice Democrats and Rep. Ro Khanna — in the night's most nationally watched race. AIPAC-linked groups spent approximately $1 million in dark money to defeat Abughazaleh. The Republican nominee is John Elleson, projected by ABC7 Chicago.
🏛️ U.S. HOUSE — Illinois 11th Congressional District
Democratic: Rep. Bill Foster (D) — Unopposed
Republican: ✅ Jeff Walter — Projected Winner
Jeff Walter is projected to win the Republican nomination for the 11th Congressional District. Democratic Rep. Bill Foster ran unopposed.
🏛️ U.S. HOUSE — Illinois 13th Congressional District
Democratic: Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D) — Won primary
Illinois U.S. Reps. Bost, Budzinski and Miller win their primaries.
🏛️ OTHER STATEWIDE RACES
- ⚖️ Attorney General: Kwame Raoul (D) — Unopposed | Bob Fioretti (R) — Unopposed
- 🗳️ Secretary of State: Alexi Giannoulias (D) — Unopposed
- 🏙️ Cook County Board President: Toni Preckwinkle — Leading with 63.4%
- 💰 Cook County Assessor: Fritz Kaegi conceded to challenger Pat Hynes (D)
📊 What Tonight's Results Mean
Senate: Stratton's Path to History
Juliana Stratton would be just the sixth Black woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate if she wins in November — and in deeply blue Illinois, she is the overwhelming favorite. Her victory validates Pritzker's enormous investment in her campaign and sets him up as a kingmaker heading into his potential 2028 presidential run.
Governor: Bailey Gets Another Shot
Darren Bailey lost to Pritzker by 13 points in 2022. His chances of winning in November are slim — but Republican strategists argue that the Iran war's economic fallout, with gas prices surging and diesel hitting $5/gallon, could narrow the gap in a way that 2022 never offered.
IL-9: What Biss's Win Says About AIPAC Power
The race between Biss and Abughazaleh was the most-analyzed Democratic primary of the 2026 cycle — a direct test of whether AIPAC money can defeat a well-funded, nationally prominent progressive candidate. It could. But the margin will be scrutinized intensely. Abughazaleh's ability to close the gap despite $1 million in dark money spending against her will fuel the progressive movement's argument that anti-war, pro-Palestinian candidates can compete.
The Iran War Factor
All three leading Democratic Senate candidates pledged to fight Trump on ICE and homeland security. The Iran war — now in its 18th day — loomed over every race but was most explicitly relevant in IL-9, where Abughazaleh had been the most vocal anti-war voice in any congressional primary in the country.
📊 Complete Results Summary
| Race | Democrat | Republican |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senate | ✅ Juliana Stratton | Don Tracy |
| Governor | JB Pritzker (inc.) | ✅ Darren Bailey |
| IL-2 | ✅ Donna Miller | Christian Maxwell |
| IL-4 | ✅ Patty Garcia | — |
| IL-7 | ✅ La Shawn Ford | — |
| IL-8 | ✅ Melissa Bean | Jennifer Davis |
| IL-9 | ✅ Daniel Biss | John Elleson |
| IL-11 | Bill Foster (inc.) | ✅ Jeff Walter |
| IL-13 | ✅ Nikki Budzinski (inc.) | — |
| Cook Co. Assessor | ✅ Pat Hynes | — |
📡 Sources: CBS News Chicago (March 17–18), NBC News Decision Desk (March 17), ABC7 Chicago (March 18), STLPR (March 17), PBS NewsHour (March 17), 270toWin (March 17) — all results as of early Wednesday March 18, 2026.
🔄 Last updated: March 18, 2026 — Final results. General election: November 3, 2026.
🔖 Tags: Illinois Primary 2026, Juliana Stratton Senate, Daniel Biss IL-9, JB Pritzker Governor, Darren Bailey, La Shawn Ford IL-7, Donna Miller IL-2, Melissa Bean IL-8, Dick Durbin Seat, 2026 Midterms
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