In this issue:

• Primary Election March 17, 2026 

• Republican Candidates for Illinois Governor Lay Out Their Plans

• STRO Events at https://www.stgop.org/events

Primary Election for Governor is March 17, 2026

The future of the Illinois Republican Party is in your hands. If you don’t pick our leaders, somebody else will, and you could be stuck with a candidate you don’t like. So how do we avoid choosing the wrong candidate? We must do our homework.We must know what experience, what knowledge, and what grasp of the issues any candidate holds. Knowing this is more important than knowing the size of the candidate’s war chest or how he or she will support the campaigns of other Republicans.

J.B. Pritzker’s policies will be under scrutiny. President Trump has announced that his DOJ will be investigating voter fraud and welfare fraud in Illinois. Once investigators start combing through records (or the lack thereof), Gov. Pritzker’s popularity will take a hit, just like that of Gov. Tim Walz. Illinois is also guilty of sloppy voter rolls and is being sued by Judicial Watch.  The U.S. Supreme Court has just ruled that U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, can challenge Illinois law that allows mail-in ballots to be counted 14 days after Election Day. All of this reflects poorly on J.B. Pritzker's chances going into the general election.

Depending on what the DOJ uncovers, Gov. Pritzker may not be a strong candidate in October. Just listen to how he talks, “If anyone comes for my people, they’ll have to come through me. Bring it on.” He’s talking about criminal illegal immigrants. Additionally, President Trump has threatened to withhold funding to sanctuary states. With Pritzker looking more vulnerable than he has in the last two terms as governor, this may be the perfect time for Republicans to put forth a stellar candidate who can right the ship and offer Illinoisans a plan to truly cut spending and grow the economy.

This primary election should be critically important to you. When you participate in the primary, YOU will choose the candidate who is qualified to challenge J. B. Pritzker. It’s your right as a voter. Let’s look at the Republican candidates who have committed to waging this fight.

Republican Candidates for Illinois Governor Lay Out Their Plans

Here are profiles of four Republican candidates running for governor.

Ted Dabrowski for Governor: TedforIllinois.com

As president of Wirepoints, a nonprofit company delivering research and commentary about Illinois’ economy and government, Ted Dabrowski has spent the past 15 years exposing the issues that have led to Illinois’ financial failure and educational decline. He has been championing pro-freedom and pro-growth reforms for Illinois. Ted is running for Governor because, in his words, “Illinois has become an extreme outlier in taxation and quality of life, but with the correct policies, Illinois can turnaround.”  For a sample of Ted’s writing on taxation, click here.  For a sample of Ted’s writing on pensions, click here.  For a sample of Ted’s writing on education, click here.

Ted’s father immigrated to the US from Communist Poland in 1960 and his mother from Ecuador. In Chicago, they lived the American dream, and their sacrifices enabled Ted to earn an MBA from Wharton School of Business and an MBA in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Ted’s international career began with Citibank in Mexico City, after which he moved to post-Soviet Poland to help their government reform its economy, raise its standard of living, and expand opportunity.  Ted then turned his focus on Illinois and created Wirepoints Corp. to expose the bad policy decisions that keep dragging our state down. As you research Ted on the internet, expect to encounter biased reporting from liberal sources, who aim to discredit his criticism of liberal policies. Ted is articulate and holds a command of the issues. He has shown he can maintain calm under pressure because he knows the facts.

Ted wants to make Illinois affordable again, bring back jobs, and restore excellence in education by creating competition. He believes he can win 35% of the vote in Cook County when facing off against J.B. Pritzker, and he expects that the other counties will help pull him over the finish line.

James Mendrick for Governor mendrick4governor2026.com

James Mendrick was elected Sheriff of DuPage County in 2018. During that time, he managed an $80 million budget and oversaw 504 employees. As governor he promises to end soft-on-crime policies, defend parental rights, and deliver quality education to every child in Illinois. He spent 6.5 years fighting financial crime in DuPage County and believes it’s time for the Illinois government to face a forensic audit. He opposes the SAFE-T Act for releasing criminals back on the street and the TRUST Act for prohibiting state and local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE. If he were governor, he would eliminate Illinois’ sanctuary state policies which cost Illinois taxpayers $7 billion a year.

He plans to build safe communities by: Restoring Law & Order and end reckless soft-on-crime policies, including no-cash bail, Rehabilitating Offenders with programs that turn criminals into productive citizens, Working with ICE to remove criminal migrants from jails before they are released, and Strengthening Penalties for Drug Dealers , and keeping fentanyl out of our communities.

His plan to balance the budget and grow Illinois’ economy includes ending Illinois’ Sanctuary Status, audit government waste, cutting red tape for businesses, and expanding vocational training and apprenticeship programs.

Darren Bailey for Governor BaileyforIllinois.com

Darren Bailey is a state senator from the 55 ^th district. He was unable to attend the STRO breakfast meeting last fall because he was campaigning in Kendall County. In 2022, Bailey ran for governor and took 42.6% of the vote, but Pritzker won by 54.6%.(The Libertarian Party took 2.6%.) Politico

Bailey’s website says, “The federal government wouldn’t be in Chicago (arresting criminal migrants) if JB Pritzker and Brandon Johnson did their jobs.

While families are worried about safety, JB was off in Minnesota chasing his presidential ambitions. Instead of sowing fear, he should be working with federal officials to restore law and order here at home.”

Darren Bailey’s four key issues are: quality education for every child, restoring law and order, bring fiscal responsibility back to Springfield, lower property taxes by reining in government waste.

Bailey promises to create an Illinois DOGE program to combat fraud and waste, click here.

Rick Heidner for Governor RickforIllinois.com

Rick is a family man, business leader, and job creator. (You’ve probably seen his political ad on television.) He grew up in a modest home in Chicago's western suburbs, with a hardworking mother who did everything she could to provide for Rick and his brother.  Starting with nothing, Rick built several businesses: Gold Rush Gaming, Ricky Rocket's Fuel Centers, Prairie State Energy, and Heidner Properties, a commercial real-estate network spanning more than 280 properties across 12 states.

Rick said he is running to make Illinois safe again, affordable again, and full of opportunity again. Rick’s plan for Illinois is: (1) Illinoisans first, (2) term limits for politicians, (3) lower taxes, (4) job creation, (5) schools that work, and (6) safe streets and neighborhoods. To watch the video of Rick Heidner on The American Dream TV show, click here.

STRO Events

Be sure to check the STRO website for a list of our upcoming events – www.stgop.org/events.

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www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/work-election-day