Illinois' 2026 primary elections feature competitive races for several key congressional and state legislative seats. In the 2nd Congressional District, a crowded field of Democratic candidates is vying to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, who is running for the U.S. Senate instead of seeking another term in the House.
Key Takeaways
Illinois' 2026 primaries feature competitive races for congressional and state legislative seats. Key contests include crowded Democratic fields in the 2nd and 8th Congressional Districts, while all House and some Senate seats are up for grabs.
- Illinois’ 2nd District sees a packed Democratic primary with 10 candidates vying to replace Rep. Robin Kelly.
- The 8th District also has a crowded Democratic race featuring eight contenders following Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s Senate bid.
- All 118 state House seats and 39 Senate seats are on the ballot, with most races uncontested.
The Democratic ballot includes 10 candidates: Robert Peters, Eric France, Donna Miller, Yumeka Brown, Willie Preston, Jesse Jackson, Patrick Keating, Toni Brown, Sidney Moore and Adal Regis. On the Republican side, Michael Noack is running unopposed.
In the 8th Congressional District, another competitive Democratic primary has emerged following U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s decision to run for the open U.S. Senate seat.
The Democratic ballot features eight candidates: Neil Khot, Kevin Morrison, Junaid Ahmed, Ryan Vetticad, Melissa Bean, Yasmeen Bankolem, Dan Tully and Sanjyot Dunung. The Republican ballot includes Mark Rice, Jennifer Davis, Kevin Ake and Herbert Hebein.
Additionally, all 118 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives and 39 state Senate seats are up for grabs in this primary election. Most of these races are uncontested.
Votes will be counted in contested races after polls close at 7 p.m., with statewide results available online.
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