Illinois gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (March 20 Republican primary)

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 4, 2017
Primary: March 20, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Gov. Bruce Rauner (Republican)
Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Illinois
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Likely Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic
Inside Elections: Likely Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Illinois
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Treasurer
Comptroller

Sitting Gov. Bruce Rauner won the Illinois gubernatorial Republican primary with 51.5 percent of the vote to state Rep. Jeanne Ives' 48.5 percent.[1]

Rauner won election to the office in 2014 when he defeated incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn (D), becoming the first Republican elected to the state's top office since George Ryan in 1998.

But once in office, Rauner's policy moves irritated some Republicans—enough so that Ives decided to challenge his re-election bid.

Ives said Illinois voters were "promised a conservative reform governor. Instead we got an Ivy League gender studies professor. Benedict Rauner betrayed us at every turn."[2]

Rauner believed he was the party's best chance to win in November. "I will win the general election," Rauner said. "I will win it, and if we don't win it, nothing else matters."[3]

Rauner and Ives split on two bills the state legislature considered in 2017—the TRUST Act and HB 40.

The TRUST Act bars state law enforcement from detaining individuals based solely on whether they have legal permission to reside in the country.

HB 40 requires state government employee and Medicaid recipient healthcare plans to cover the costs of obtaining an abortion.[4][5]

Ives voted against both bills. Rauner signed them into law.[6][7]

One big issue on the next governor's plate was redistricting following the 2020 census.

Under Illinois law, the state legislature draws new maps for U.S. House and state legislative seats.

The governor can veto the redrawn congressional districts, but cannot veto new state legislative districts.[8] Click here for more information on redistricting procedures.

Republican control of the governorship was the only obstacle to Democratic trifecta and triplex control of the state.

As of the 2018 election, the Illinois' Democratic Party controlled both houses of the legislature as well as four of the state's six elected executive offices.

Illinois was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

Candidates and election results

See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

Incumbent Bruce Rauner defeated Jeanne M. Ives in the Republican primary for Governor of Illinois on March 20, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Illinois

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/BruceRauner2015a.jpg
Bruce Rauner
 
51.5
 
372,124
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Jeanne-Ives.jpg
Jeanne M. Ives
 
48.5
 
350,038

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 722,162
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Media reactions to election outcome

This section provides an overview of media reactions to the election's result from Illinois and across the country.[9]

  • Kim Geiger, Chicago Tribune (March 21, 2018):
"But Rauner’s attempts to keep a hold on his shaky coalition of conservative and moderate Republican voters and some fed-up Democrats provided regular fodder for Ives, a staunch conservative who voted for Donald Trump in 2016. Rauner, by contrast, consistently has tried to avoid even mentioning the Republican president by name in public.
The question in the race soon became whether Rauner’s money and more mainstream appeal would be enough to fend off the attack from his right. By Tuesday, even the governor was unsure, telling radio hosts that he expected the results to be “closer than anybody thought.”"[10]
  • Eric Ostermeier, Smart Politics (March 21, 2018):
"Rauner’s victory continues a trend that has been particularly evident in U.S. Senate primaries over the last few cycles in which moderate and even conservative GOP incumbents have faced unusually competitive renomination battles with challengers from their right.
Overall, Rauner’s 2.76-point win was the fourth weakest performance by a Democratic or Republican incumbent out of the 23 Illinois primaries with a sitting governor on the ballot since the first primary in the state in 1908 – with no elected governor enduring a closer call in a primary win than Rauner."[11]
  • Natasha Korecki, Politico (March 21, 2018):
"In the span of one day, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s fortunes went from bad to worse. He was already widely considered to be the most vulnerable incumbent governor in the country. Then came Tuesday’s Illinois primary, where he spent $17 million on TV ads but barely squeaked out a victory against a nearly unknown state legislator.
With Democrats already uniting behind the free-spending billionaire who will lead their ticket in the fall, Illinois Republicans are wondering: After Tuesday’s weak showing, does Rauner even have a prayer of winning reelection in November?"[12]

Candidate Profiles

Note: Candidates for governor of Illinois run on a ticket. The following governor-lieutenant governor tickets filed for the Republican primary:

Bruce Rauner square.jpg

Bruce Rauner (R)
Gubernatorial candidate
Governor of Illinois since 2015

Evelyn Sanguinetti square.jpg

Evelyn Sanguinetti (R)
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate
Lieutenant governor of Illinois since 2015

Campaign website Facebook Twitter Youtube

Prior to his election as governor of Illinois in the 2014 election, Bruce Rauner worked in venture capital. He was the first Republican to be elected governor since 1998.

In his October 2017 announcement that he would seek a second term, Rauner emphasized his determination to achieve policy objectives if he is elected to a second term: "Now, we have a choice. We can throw in the towel, walk away and leave our future to the same corrupt, career politicians, or we can fight...I choose to fight."[13] Rauner's campaign website argued that "our state has been held back for decades by the same politicians that have only made government work for themselves, not for the people." The website emphasized his policies on modifications to the tax structure, modifications to the criminal justice system, and encouraging job growth.[14]

Rauner received endorsements in the primary election from state Reps. Tom Bennett (R) and Bill Mitchell (R).

Jeanne Ives square.jpg

Jeanne Ives (R)
Gubernatorial candidate
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 2013

Richard Morthland square.jpg

Rich Morthland (R)
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives, 2011-2013

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

A veteran of the U.S. Army, Jeanne Ives worked as a tax consultant and bookkeeper. She was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2012. Throughout her three terms in the House, Ives served continuously on the Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education Committee and the Labor & Commerce Committee.

In her December 2017 campaign kick-off, Ives cited dissatisfaction with Rauner's first term as her motivation to challenge the governor: "We were promised a conservative, reformed governor. Instead, we got an Ivy League gender studies professor. Benedict Rauner betrayed us at every turn...Bruce Rauner did not fight [House Speaker] Mike Madigan, he signed into law Mike Madigan and the Chicago Democrats’ holy grail of public policy."[15] Ives' campaign website described her as "a true conservative committed to the people of Illinois."[16] In her campaign events, Ives has emphasized her policies on abortion and immigration.

Ives received endorsements in the primary election from state Reps. Allen Skillicorn (R) and Kyle McCarter (R).

Endorsements

Republican candidate endorsements
Endorsement Date Rauner Ives
National figures
Gov. Eric Greitens (R-MO)[17] October 24, 2017 ✔
Gov. Eric Holcomb (R-IN)[17] October 24, 2017 ✔
Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI)[17] October 24, 2017 ✔
State figures
State Rep. Barbara Wheeler (R)[18] January 24, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Tim Bivins (R)[18] January 24, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Margo McDermed (R)[18] January 24, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Peter Breen (R)[18] January 24, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Tom Morrison (R)[18] January 24, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Jim Durkin (R)[19] January 22, 2018 ✔
State Sen. John Curran (R)[19] January 22, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Patti Bellock (R)[19] January 22, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Grant Wehrli (R)[19] January 22, 2018 ✔
State Rep. Christine Winger (R)[19] January 22, 2018 ✔
State Rep. David McSweeney (R)[20] December 11, 2017 ✔
State Sen. Kyle McCarter (R)[21] November 17, 2017 ✔
David Blumenshine (R), Illinois House of Representatives candidate[22] November 15, 2017 ✔
State Rep. Tom Bennett (R)[23] November 1, 2017 ✔
State Rep. Bill Mitchell (R)[24] November 1, 2017 ✔
State Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R)[25] October 30, 2017 ✔
Local figures
DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin (R)[19] January 22, 2018 ✔
Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico[19] January 22, 2018 ✔
Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin (R)[19] January 22, 2018 ✔
Wheaton Mayor Michael Gresk[19] January 22, 2018 ✔
Organizations
National Review[26] March 16, 2018 ✔
Chicago Sun-Times[27] February 20, 2018 ✔
Kankakee Daily Journal[28] February 17, 2018 ✔
Chicago Tribune[29] February 16, 2018 ✔
Chicago Daily Herald[30] February 16, 2018 ✔
Susan B. Anthony List[31] February 16, 2018 ✔
Palatine Township Republican Party[32] February 13, 2018 ✔
Family Research Council Action PAC[33] February 12, 2018 ✔
Cook County Republican Party[34] February 7, 2018 ✔
Evanston Township Republican Organization[35] February 11, 2018 ✔
Tax Accountability[36] January 16, 2018 ✔
Chicago Republican Party[37] January 11, 2018 ✔
Fremont Township Republican Organization[38] January 8, 2018 ✔
Wheatland Township Republican Party[39] November 15, 2017 ✔


Campaign themes and policy stances

Policy positions

During the primary election, both Ives and Rauner called for modifications to Illinois' state government in the form of legislative term limits and modifications to the state's redistricting process. In addition, both candidates identified the state's workers' compensation system, property tax system, and economic development programs as in need of adjustments. Neither candidate supported the budget proposal that was voted into law in July 2017, with Rauner vetoing the bill and Ives not present at the vote to override his veto.

However, they differed on a modified education funding formula that was passed the following month as part of the budgeting process, with Rauner signing the formula into law while Ives voted against it. Among Rauner and Ives' other areas of disagreement were abortion and immigration; while Rauner signed a bill that expanded access to abortion in the state, Ives spoke out against the bill and criticized Rauner for signing it. Similarly, Ives criticized Rauner for his decision to sign a bill limiting the ability of state and local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law.

The following table contains information on the candidates' positions on a variety of policy issues, taken from statements at campaign appearances and policy statements on official campaign websites. Areas where the candidates differed are highlighted in bold.

Position summaries for gubernatorial candidates
Issue Bruce Rauner Jeanne M. Ives
Abortion
  • Signed HB 40, a bill implementing a requirement that state employee health insurance plans and state-administered Medicaid plans cover the cost of obtaining an abortion[40]
  • Opposed to the signing of HB 40[41]
Budget
  • Vetoed 2017 budget proposal that included an income tax increase; veto was overriden by state legislature[42]
  • Signed modified education funding formula into law[43]
  • Was not present for vote on override of Rauner's veto of budget[44]
  • Voted against modified education funding formula[43]
Economy
  • Called for modifications to the state's workers' compensation system
  • Called for a freeze on property taxes
  • Called for modifications to the state's economic development programs[45]
  • Opposed a 2017 proposal to modify the state's workers compensation system, asserting that it did not address what she argued were critical issues with the system[46]
  • Called for modifications to the state's property value assessments[47]
  • Opposed the state's Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credit, arguing that it should be replaced with a credit that applies to more businesses[48]
Education
  • Argued that he increased funding for K-12 and early childhood education
  • Argued in favor of a bill signed in 2017 granting tax credits for scholarships and eliminating certain state mandates[49]
  • Opposed to the education funding bill passed in 2017, arguing that it favors Cook County over the rest of the state
  • Supported the bill's granting of tax credits for scholarships[50]
  • Opposed to increased funding for higher education[51]
  • Supported consolidating all school districts into unit districts[52]
Government management
  • Called for implementation of term limits
  • Called for modifications to the state's redistricting process[53]
  • Called for implementation of term limits[54]
  • Called for modifications to the redistricting process[55]
Immigration
  • Signed the TRUST Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from detaining indivduals on behalf of federal immigration authorities[56]
  • Called for the repeal of the TRUST Act[57]

Campaign tactics and strategies

Campaign advertisements

Republican Party Bruce Rauner

Support
"Conservative Voter Alert" - Rauner campaign ad, released March 15, 2018
"Rauner Tax Cut" - Rauner campaign ad, released February 16, 2018
"Destroy" - Rauner campaign ad, released November 6, 2017
"Mess" - Rauner campaign ad, released October 11, 2017
"Kids" - Rauner campaign ad, released October 4, 2017
"Diana on Education" - Rauner campaign ad, released July 25, 2017
"The No. 1 Change" - Rauner campaign ad, released June 21, 2017
Oppose
"Worst" - Democratic Governors Association ad, released March 15, 2018
"Closing Argument" - Ives campaign ad, released March 13, 2018
"Ives Proud" - Ives campaign ad, released March 13, 2018
"Ives Won't Neither Should You" - Ives campaign ad, released March 2, 2018
"Rauner's Friends" - Ives campaign ad, released February 18, 2018
"Fighting for Jeannie Brady" - Ives campaign ad, released February 15, 2018
"Lead the Charge: Rauner CPS Pension Bailout" - Ives campaign ad, released February 10, 2018
"Lead the Charge: Repeal Rauner Tax Hike" - Ives campaign ad, released February 10, 2018
"Honoring the Life of Denny McCann: Repeal Sanctuary State" - Ives campaign ad, released February 9, 2018
"Thank you, Bruce Rauner" - Ives campaign ad, released February 2, 2018

Republican Party Jeanne Ives

Support
"Perfect Score" - Ives campaign ad, released February 17, 2018
"Jeanne Ives: Lead the Charge - Repeal Tax Hike" - Ives campaign ad, released February 10, 2018
"Jeanne Ives: Lead the Charge" - Ives campaign ad, released February 9, 2018
"Jeanne Ives: Lead the Charge - CPS Pensions" - Ives campaign ad, released February 9, 2018
"Ives: Get the Revolution You Were Promised" - Ives campaign ad, released February 2, 2018
Oppose
"Most" - Democratic Governors Association ad, released March 16, 2018
"Immediately" - Rauner campaign ad, released March 3, 2018
"Madigan's Favorite Republican" - Rauner campaign ad, released February 6, 2018

Online presence

January 30, 2018

The following social media statistics were compiled on January 30, 2018. Although both Rauner and Ives had official social media accounts relating to their duties in office, these statistics were taken from their campaign accounts.

Facebook Twitter
Candidate Followers Likes Comments on Last Ten Posts Followers Following Tweets
Republican Party Rauner 61,372 62,367 166 27,294 76 2,303
Republican Party Ives 12,679 12,397 160 2,695 450 641

December 12, 2017

The following social media statistics were compiled on December 12, 2017. Although both Rauner and Ives had official social media accounts relating to their duties in office, these statistics were taken from their campaign accounts.

Facebook Twitter
Candidate Followers Likes Comments on Last Ten Posts Followers Following Tweets
Republican Party Rauner 60,234 61,304 798 26,834 76 2,064
Republican Party Ives 1,926 1,842 98 2,011 447 354

Noteworthy events

Democratic involvement in the primary

On March 16, 2018, the Democratic Governors Association launched two campaign advertisements ahead of the March 20 primary election. One advertisement targeted Gov. Bruce Rauner (R), criticizing the state's economic performance and saying that he "racked up billions in unpaid bills, leaving Illinois taxpayers on the hook." The other advertisement targeted state Rep. Jeanne Ives (R), saying that "her conservative policies are just too conservative for Illinois." The advertisement targeting Ives was " reminiscent of the Missouri Senate primary in 2012, when Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill paid for ads calling then-Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) — whom she viewed as her weakest possible opponent — 'too conservative' for the state", according to Politico.[58]


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Illinois Governor Republican Primary, 2018 (no margin of error or sample size information)
Poll Bruce Rauner Jeanne IvesUndecided/Other
Ogden & Fry for Ives
(March 14, 2018)		 42%35%23%
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Illinois Governor Republican Primary, 2018
Poll Bruce Rauner Jeanne IvesUndecided/OtherMargin of errorSample size
Southern Illinois University
(February 19-25, 2018)		 51%31%18%+/-6.0259
We Ask America
(January 14-16, 2018)		 64.59%20.51%14.90%+/-3.061,026
Capitol Fax/We Ask America
(October 25-29, 2017)		 64%19%16%+/-3.01,064
AVERAGES 59.86% 23.5% 16.3% +/-4.02 783
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign finance

Following are campaign finance figures obtained from the Illinois State Board of Elections official website on February 15, 2018, covering all contributions and expenditures that had been made to candidates this election cycle. For current campaign finance information, refer to the Illinois State Board of Elections' contribution and expenditure search functions.

Media coverage

This section provides an overview of media coverage of the election from within Illinois and across the country.In selecting articles for inclusion in this section, Ballotpedia has drawn from a variety of sources and viewpoints to identify articles that are representative of broader trends in media coverage. Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that have emerged surrounding the election. Click here for an overview of media coverage of the general election and here for an overview of media coverage of the Democratic primary.

  • Marni Pyke, Daily Herald (January 30, 2017):
"State Rep. Jeanne Ives' candidacy continues to roil Republicans as many in the GOP establishment embrace Gov. Bruce Rauner as their best hope in the general election, while conservatives dig in for the challenger in the March 20 primary.
And if recent events are any indication, much of the battle will be fought in the suburbs.
At a Rauner pep rally with DuPage County GOP leaders a week ago, some Republicans admitted to angst over how Ives, a social conservative from Wheaton, is splitting the party, although Rauner didn't even mention her name."[59]
  • Greg Hinz, Crain's Chicago Business (November 30, 2017):
"To put it a little differently, it took Rauner three years to learn, if he really has learned, the difference between firing off orders as a private-equity chieftain and governing a mostly Democratic blue state.
That having been said, though, Ives is way, way to the political right, not only on social but many economic issues. And recent Illinois political history suggests that when given a choice between a moderate like Jim Thompson or Jim Edgar, and a conservative such as Steve Baer or Jack Roeser, a majority of Illinois Republicans side with the moderate."[60]
  • Natasha Korecki, Politico (October 2, 2017):
"Before Rauner’s latest move, it was almost a given that he wouldn’t face a formidable primary opponent. But now, the governor — a wealthy businessman who already compiled $70 million in his campaign account for the 2018 race — will have to dig even deeper just to win his party’s nomination again.
Rauner has made an enemy of Republican players who had long sided with him and given him a megaphone. Among them is Dan Proft — a conservative radio host whom Rauner had once entrusted with millions of dollars to run campaigns and start a group of “newspapers” in Illinois, which had plugged the governor’s agenda. Proft, who last week declared that Rauner "is done" in Illinois, is now turning his efforts against the governor in those publications, as well as through finding primary opponents to Rauner's remaining allies, including GOP House Minority Leader Jim Durkin.
While the abortion issue has deeply rattled members of his party, conservatives say anger against Rauner has been brewing for months, if not longer, and his signature on the abortion bill was simply the tipping point."[61]
  • Doug Finke, The State Journal-Register (September 30, 2017):
"Just when it looked like things were quieting down a bit around state government, Gov. BRUCE RAUNER signed the controversial House Bill 40 and away we go again.
His decision to sign the abortion rights bill will give people fodder to debate for months about what the fallout from the decision will mean. And it will probably take that long to reach any definitive conclusions.
The reaction itself was what you’d expect. Pro-life advocates were outraged by Rauner’s action because they said he reneged on a promise to veto the bill. While that reaction was expected, the bluntness and intensity of some of the negative comments was out of the ordinary.
The decision also sparked speculation about Rauner’s political future. Some conservatives have already written Rauner’s political obituary for signing the bill. There’s also speculation about whether a primary opponent could surface. If one does, then will the money also surface to make it a credible challenge against the well-heeled incumbent?"[62]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: Illinois gubernatorial election, 2018
Race tracker Race ratings
November 5, 2018 October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018
The Cook Political Report Likely Democratic Likely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales Likely Democratic Likely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball Likely Democratic Likely DemocraticLikely DemocraticLikely Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

Past elections

2014

See also: Illinois gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014

Bruce Rauner and Evelyn Sanguinetti secured victory in the 2014 Republican primary, defeating the tickets of Kirk Dillard and Jil Tracy, Bill Brady and Maria Rodriguez, and Dan Rutherford and Steve Kim by a 2.9 percent margin.[63]

Governor and Lt. Governor of Illinois, Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngBruce Rauner & Evelyn Sanguinetti 40.1% 328,934
Kirk Dillard & Jil Tracy 37.2% 305,120
Bill Brady & Maria Rodriguez 15.1% 123,708
Dan Rutherford & Steve Kim 7.6% 61,948
Total Votes 819,710
Election results via Illinois State Board of Elections.


Timeline

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Illinois heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

  • Democrats controlled both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly. They had a 67-51 majority in the state House and a 37-22 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

  • Illinois was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Bruce Rauner (R) served as governor, while Democrats controlled the state legislature.

2018 elections

See also: Illinois elections, 2018

Illinois held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Illinois
 IllinoisU.S.
Total population:12,839,047316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):55,5193,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:72.3%73.6%
Black/African American:14.3%12.6%
Asian:5%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:16.5%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:87.9%86.7%
College graduation rate:32.3%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$57,574$53,889
Persons below poverty level:16.8%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Illinois.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, Illinois' three largest cities were Chicago (pop. est. 2.7 million), Aurora (pop. est. 200,000), and Joliet (pop. est. 150,000).[64][65]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Illinois from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Illinois every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Illinois 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 55.8% Republican Party Donald Trump 38.8% 17.0%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 57.6% Republican Party Mitt Romney 40.7% 16.9%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 61.9% Republican Party John McCain 36.8% 25.1%
2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 54.8% Republican Party George W. Bush 44.5% 10.3%
2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 54.6% Republican Party George W. Bush 42.6% 12.0%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Illinois from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Illinois 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Tammy Duckworth 54.9% Republican Party Mark Kirk 39.8% 15.1%
2014 Democratic Party Dick Durbin 53.5% Republican Party Jim Oberweis 42.7% 10.8%
2010 Republican Party Mark Kirk 48.0% Democratic Party Alexander Giannoulias 46.4% 1.6%
2008 Democratic Party Dick Durbin 67.8% Republican Party Steve Sauerberg 28.5% 39.3%
2004 Democratic Party Barack Obama 70.0% Republican Party Alan Keyes 27.0% 43.0%
2002 Democratic Party Dick Durbin 60.3% Republican Party Jim Durkin 38.0% 22.3%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Illinois.

Election results (Governor), Illinois 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Bruce Rauner 50.3% Democratic Party Pat Quinn 46.3% 4.0%
2010 Democratic Party Pat Quinn 46.8% Republican Party Bill Brady 45.9% 0.9%
2006 Democratic Party Rod Blagojevich 49.8% Republican Party Judy Baar Topinka 39.3% 10.5%
2002 Democratic Party Rod Blagojevich 52.2% Republican Party Jim Ryan 45.1% 7.1%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Illinois in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Illinois 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 7 38.9% Democratic Party 11 61.1% D+4
2014 Republican Party 8 44.4% Democratic Party 10 55.6% D+2
2012 Republican Party 6 33.3% Democratic Party 12 66.7% D+6
2010 Republican Party 11 57.9% Democratic Party 8 42.1% R+3
2008 Republican Party 7 36.8% Democratic Party 12 63.2% D+5
2006 Republican Party 9 47.4% Democratic Party 10 52.6% D+1
2004 Republican Party 9 47.4% Democratic Party 10 52.6% D+1
2002 Republican Party 10 52.6% Democratic Party 9 47.4% R+1
2000 Republican Party 10 50.0% Democratic Party 10 50.0% Even

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Illinois Party Control: 1992-2024
Eighteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Governor R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D
Senate D R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
House D D D R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Eleven of 102 Illinois counties—10.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. These are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Alexander County, Illinois 8.30% 13.65% 12.62%
Carroll County, Illinois 26.69% 1.49% 4.81%
Fulton County, Illinois 14.93% 11.04% 21.33%
Henderson County, Illinois 28.43% 12.25% 17.67%
Henry County, Illinois 20.99% 3.08% 7.74%
Jo Daviess County, Illinois 14.64% 1.16% 10.49%
Knox County, Illinois 2.91% 17.37% 19.89%
Mercer County, Illinois 20.36% 7.39% 11.91%
Putnam County, Illinois 19.92% 1.82% 15.64%
Warren County, Illinois 16.50% 5.47% 8.08%
Whiteside County, Illinois 6.18% 17.02% 17.56%

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Illinois with 55.8 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 38.8 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Illinois voted Republican 50 percent of the time and Democratic 50 percent of the time. Illinois voted Democratic in all five elections from 2000 to 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Illinois. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[66][67]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 75 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 39.2 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 76 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 42.1 points. Clinton won 13 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 43 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 15 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 42 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 22.1 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Illinois governor Republican primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Illinois gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (March 20 Republican primary) - Google News

See also

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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results, General Primary - 3/20/2018," accessed May 23, 2018
  2. ↑ The State Journal-Register, "Ives joins governor’s race, says Rauner has ‘betrayed our party’," December 5, 2017
  3. ↑ Crain's Chicago Business, "Rauner vs. Ives: A nasty war for control of the Illinois GOP," December 4, 2017
  4. ↑ NBC Chicago, "Rauner Signs 'Illinois Trust Act' on Immigration," August 28, 2017
  5. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Rauner pulls trigger: Signs bill to ensure abortion remains legal," September 28, 2017
  6. ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "House Roll Call - HB40," April 25, 2017
  7. ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "House Roll Call - SB31," May 28, 2017
  8. ↑ All about Redistricting, "Who draws the lines?" accessed January 24, 2018
  9. ↑ In selecting articles for inclusion in this section, Ballotpedia has drawn from a variety of sources and viewpoints to identify articles that are representative of broader trends in media coverage. Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that emerged surrounding the election.
  10. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner ekes out narrow victory over challenger Ives," March 21, 2018
  11. ↑ Smart Politics, "Rauner Records Weakest Primary Performance by an Illinois GOP Governor in 90 Years," March 21, 2018
  12. ↑ Politico, "Is this embattled Republican governor toast?" March 21, 2018
  13. ↑ The Hill, "Bruce Rauner running for reelection," October 23, 2017
  14. ↑ Bruce Rauner, "Issues," accessed December 13, 2017
  15. ↑ CBS Chicago, "State Rep. Jeanne Ives To Challenge Rauner In Republican Primary," December 4, 2017
  16. ↑ Ives for Illinois, "Home," accessed December 13, 2017
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Chicago Tribune, "Rauner recruits neighboring governors to rip Madigan on tax hike," October 24, 2017
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 My Stateline, "Republican Legislators Including Rep. Tim Bivins Endorse Ives for Governor," January 24, 2018
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 19.7 19.8 Bruce Rauner, "DuPage County Elected Leaders Endorse Governor Rauner," January 22, 2018
  20. ↑ Ives for Illinois, "GOP Rep. McSweeney: 'The ‘fringe candidate’ is Bruce Rauner. He stands for nothing.'," December 11, 2017
  21. ↑ Belleville News-Democrat, "McCarter endorses Republican for governor — and it’s not Rauner," November 17, 2017
  22. ↑ WJBC, "Brady opponent backs Ives to oust Rauner," November 15, 2017
  23. ↑ The News-Gazette, "Tom Kacich: Rauner primary threat 'awkward' for some," November 1, 2017
  24. ↑ The News-Gazette, "Tom Kacich: Rauner primary threat 'awkward' for some," November 1, 2017
  25. ↑ Northwest Herald, "State Rep. Allen Skillicorn announces support for Rep. Jeanne Ives over Rauner for governor," October 31, 2017
  26. ↑ National Review, "Jeanne Ives for Governor," March 16, 2018
  27. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "ENDORSEMENT: Bruce Rauner for governor in the Republican primary," February 20, 2018
  28. ↑ Kankakee Daily Journal, "Who is Jeanne Ives?" February 17, 2018
  29. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "For the Republicans, Bruce Rauner," February 16, 2018
  30. ↑ Daily Herald, "Endorsement: Rauner for governor in Republican primary," February 16, 2018
  31. ↑ Breitbart, "Pro-Life Susan B. Anthony List Endorses Illinois Conservative Governor Candidate Jeanne Ives," February 16, 2018
  32. ↑ Daily Herald, "Palatine Township GOP endorses Rauner," February 13, 2018
  33. ↑ Prairie State Wire, "FRC Action PAC endorses Ives for governor," February 12, 2018
  34. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Morning Spin: Rauner gets backing over Ives from Cook County Republicans," February 7, 2018
  35. ↑ Daily Northwestern, "Local Republicans endorse Rauner for governor ahead of March primary," February 11, 2018
  36. ↑ Taxpayers United of America, "Tax Accountability Endorses Jeanne Ives in Illinois’ GOP Gubernatorial Primary," January 16, 2018
  37. ↑ Illinois Capitol Fax, "Chicago GOP follows its leader and endorses Ives," January 11, 2018
  38. ↑ Lake County Gazette, "Fremont Township GOP backing Ives' governor bid," January 8, 2018
  39. ↑ The Herald-News, "Wheatland Township Republicans endorse Jeanne Ives for governor," November 15, 2017
  40. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Rauner signs controversial abortion bill, angering conservatives," September 29, 2017
  41. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "State Rep. Ives collecting signatures for possible Rauner primary challenge," October 28, 2017
  42. ↑ Politico, "Rauner vetoes budget in Illinois showdown," July 4, 2017
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Capitol Fax, "*** UPDATED x5 - Pritzker, IFT, CTU, Rauner, Emanuel, Madigan respond *** On second try, education funding reform passes with 73 votes," August 28, 2017
  44. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "How Illinois House voted on Rauner tax hike override," July 6, 2017
  45. ↑ Bruce Rauner, "21st Century Jobs," accessed December 20, 2017
  46. ↑ DuPage Policy Journal, "Ives argues workers' comp bill should make things better, not worse," June 1, 2017
  47. ↑ Jeanne Ives, "Property Assessments in Disarray: Statewide School Funding Impacted Downstate, in Chicago and Suburban Cook," August 22, 2017
  48. ↑ Jeanne Ives, "In the News: Controversial tax credit elicits mixed responses from Illinois leadership, businesses," January 13, 2017
  49. ↑ Bruce Rauner, "Improving Education," accessed December 20, 2017
  50. ↑ Jeanne Ives, "The School Funding Bill Passed and the Result is…" August 30, 2017
  51. ↑ Our Quad Cities, "Ives wouldn't commit more to higher education in Illinois," November 26, 2017
  52. ↑ Daily Herald, "Governor candidate Ives: 'Every school district should be a unit district'," December 13, 2017
  53. ↑ Bruce Rauner, "Cleaning Up Government," accessed December 20, 2017
  54. ↑ CBS Chicago, "State Rep. Jeanne Ives To Challenge Rauner In Republican Primary," December 4, 2017
  55. ↑ Jeanne Ives, "Rep. Ives joins legal effort to end gerrymandering," September 6, 2017
  56. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Illinois is officially a ‘sanctuary state’ for immigrants," August 28, 2017
  57. ↑ Ives for Illinois, "Ives Responds To California Becoming A Sanctuary State," January 3, 2018
  58. ↑ Politico, "Democrats meddle in Illinois GOP primary," March 15, 2018
  59. ↑ Daily Herald, "How the suburbs could decide the Rauner, Ives primary," January 30, 2018
  60. ↑ Crain's Chicago Business, "Rauner's winter of woes just beginning—but spring may come," November 30, 2017
  61. ↑ Politico, "Republicans rage at Rauner," October 2, 2017
  62. ↑ The State Journal-Register, "Statehouse Insider: Fallout from Rauner’s abortion rights bill decision will continue," September 30, 2017
  63. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results - General Primary, March 18, 2014," accessed September 18, 2017
  64. ↑ Illinois Demographics, "Illinois Cities by Population," accessed December 11, 2017
  65. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Illinois," accessed December 11, 2017
  66. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  67. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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