GOP Field for Governor in 2026 Slow to Develop
Aaron Del Mar, a 2022 candidate for Lt. Governor, campaigns in Normal in the lead up to the 2022 GOP primary. Del Mar, a member of the Illinois GOP State Central Committee, is considering a run for governor in 2026.
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While copious amounts of speculation are already circling Governor JB Pritzker’s decision whether or not to seek a third term, it appears few Republicans are laying serious groundwork for a run at the state’s top office in 2026.
It isn’t exactly time yet for candidates to be coming out of the woodwork to launch a gubernatorial campaign, former Sen. Paul Schimpf, followed by Sen. Darren Bailey, were the first out of the gate in February 2021, traditionally, potential candidates are putting out feelers, building organizations, and making it known among GOP insiders they’re about to pull the trigger on a statewide run.
That doesn’t seem to be the case for Republicans early in 2025.
In dozens of conversations with Republican insiders, office holders, strategists, and even the potential candidates themselves, there appear to be only two Republicans who appear serious, or potentially serious, about a run for governor next year.
Aaron Del Mar, a member of the Illinois GOP State Central Committee from suburban Palatine, has been the most open with insiders about his plans to run for governor, we’re told. Del Mar ran for Lt. Governor along with gubernatorial candidate Gary Rabine in 2022. The pair finished fourth in a field of six Republican candidates.
Del Mar declined to discuss his plans on the record Monday, but a source said he is focused on a statewide run next year.
The other top Republican in the mix is former RNC National Committeeman Richard Porter of suburban Northfield. Porter, a longtime GOP insider, recently retired after a long career at a major Chicago law firm. He previously worked with the Treasury Department and as a Counselor to Vice President Dan Quayle.
“I will support whoever we Republicans choose in our primary,” Porter said Monday. “I’ll decide whether to seek the position later this year.”
Other candidates may eventually test the waters but are saying little about their interest at this point. Former State Representative Jeanne Ives, who lost a 2018 primary to then-Governor Bruce Rauner by about three percentage points, has been having conversations with supporters, sources say. She did not respond to a message from The Illinoize Monday.
Sources tell The Illinoize some donors have approached Chicago Cubs co-owner and former RNC National Finance Chairman Todd Ricketts about seeking the office, but we’re told he appears unlikely to do so.
It also appears former Sen. Darren Bailey, the GOP nominee in 2022, is unlikely to seek the office again next year.
While the field may be thin, Porter says he believes Republicans have a chance to win back the Governor’s Mansion for the first time in 12 years.
“The entire Democrat establishment in this state seems weirdly against making life better and easier for Illinoisans,” he said. “Maybe, just maybe, the people of Illinois have had enough of leaders who suck and will be ready to try something new and normal next year.”
The cycle is expected to be a little more accelerated than previous cycles as petition circulation begins in the summer instead of the traditional time frame after Labor Day.
