(The Center Square) – The midterm election primary is one week away Tuesday and one candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination is “cautiously optimistic.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running unopposed in the Democratic primary next week. Four candidates are looking to get the Republican nomination to challenge Pritzker in November. Republicans include DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, analyst Ted Dabrowski, and businessman Rick Heidner. Former state Sen. Darren Bailey is also running. He ran against Pritzker and lost four years ago. His new running mate is Aaron Del Mar.
“You know, I’m cautiously optimistic,” Del Mar told The Center Square. “Our polling shows us with a very strong lead. Our message has shown a very strong lead. Nowhere in Illinois history have you had a team like Darren and I, where you have somebody that is the intersection of Clay County in Cook County, rural Illinois, in the city of Chicago, combining together for one team, for one goal.And that’s to take our state back.”
One issue expected to dominate the election season is affordability.
Last week in Springfield, Pritzker was asked about increasing the minimum wage, which he oversaw annual increases to $15 an hour by 2025.
“Very important that we raised the minimum wage,” Pritzker said. “I believe that we need to have a living wage for people, and it’s something that we always ought to be considering. How do we put more money in people’s pockets? You want to make life more affordable for people, helping them get a raise.”
On Saturday, at a gun owners’ event at GAT Guns in East Dundee, Del Mar said Pritzker is getting it wrong on affordability.
“He wants to increase income tax making it unaffordable more than it currently is in Illinois. Lift the burden of the taxes from people. Give them that opportunity to thrive in Illinois, not just survive,” Del Mar said.
Also running for the Republican nomination is DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, analyst Ted Dabrowski, and businessman Rick Heidner.
The primary election is Tuesday, March 17. Early voting is underway.
