00:02Illinois voters have set up two major November contests, a rematch for governor and an open
00:08U.S. Senate seat in a deep blue state, where governor incumbent Democrat J.B. Pritzker is
00:13headed for a rematch with Republican Darren Bailey, the same matchup from 2022. Pritzker
00:19was unopposed in his primary and is now seeking a third term. Bailey, a farmer from southern
00:25Illinois and former state lawmaker, won the GOP primary and returns after losing to Pritzker by
00:3113 points. Pritzker used his victory speech to take direct aim at President Trump, casting Washington
00:38as a threat to Illinois and pointing to the state's pushback on last year's federal immigration
00:43crackdown in Chicago. Bailey is framing the race around cost of living and leadership, saying
00:49Pritzker is out of touch and blaming him for rising costs. In the Senate race, Illinois Lieutenant
00:55Governor Julianna Stratton beat U.S. Reps Raja Krishnamoorthy and Robin Kelly in the Democratic
01:01primary. She now faces Republican Don Tracy, the former state GOP chair. Stratton's win is also a
01:07boost for Pritzker, who backed her and spent heavily to help her defeat better funded rivals. In a state
01:13where Democrats hold a clear advantage, she enters the general election as the frontrunner to succeed
01:19retiring Democrat Dick Durbin.
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