Illinois EXECUTIVE OFFICES
GOVERNOR/LT. GOVERNOR
Republican Candidate Profiles
Illinois Government Leadership. Learn about the GOP Candidates for ILLINOIS Executives Offices
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GOVERNOR/LT. GOVERNOR - State's chief executive, implementing laws, managing the executive branch, proposing budgets, and serving as the main liaison with the federal government, while also having legislative power to sign or veto bills.
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ATTORNEY GENERAL - As the state’s chief legal officer, the Illinois Attorney General protects public interest, advocates for residents, and enforces state laws by providing legal representation for state agencies, prosecuting criminal and civil cases, and offering consumer protection services.
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SECRETARY OF STATE - Manages driver/vehicle services (licenses, plates), corporations, state records, libraries, archives, and the organ donor registry.
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COMPTROLLER - Maintains the central fiscal accounts of the state, and orders payments into and out of the funds held by the Treasurer.
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TREASURER - Acts as the state's chief banker and investment officer, managing public funds, investing state money for growth and security, overseeing banking operations, handling state debt.
DISCLAIMER: Candidate profile information may be generated or summarized using AI tools, including ChatGPT, and is based on publicly available sources at the time of publication. Accuracy is not guaranteed, and readers should verify all information with the candidate or official sources.
Darren Bailey/
Aaron Del Mar
Governor/Lt. Governor (Conservative Republican)
"Bold and Courageous Leadership. Opposing excessive government control, high taxes, and Chicago-centered leadership."
Follow the Money...
https://illinoissunshine.org/committees/34092/
Campaign Sites with Links to Social Media (Bailey)
https://baileyforillinois.com/
https://ballotpedia.org/Darren_Bailey
Campaign Sites with Links to Social Media (Del Mar)
https://ballotpedia.org/Aaron_Del_Mar
https://www.facebook.com/aaronbdelmar/
WHY RUNNING
To Restore balance between urban and rural Illinois, protecting individual freedoms, and pushing back against Democratic supermajorities. He frames his candidacy as a grassroots movement rooted in traditional values and economic independence.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Bailey)
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Served in the Illinois House of Representatives (2017–2021)
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Elected to the Illinois State Senate (2020)
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Republican nominee for Governor of Illinois (2022)
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Prominent advocate for farmers, downstate Illinois, and conservative fiscal policy
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Gained statewide recognition for challenging COVID-19 mandates and executive authority
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Del Mar)
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Party leadership: Elected Cook County GOP Chair, bringing organizational strength in a key metropolitan region that Republicans target for broader appeal.
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Previous statewide campaign exposure: Ran for Lieutenant Governor in 2022 alongside Gary Rabine, earning name recognition across the state and building a network of supporters.
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Policy emphasis: Focuses on tax relief, public safety support, and connecting suburban and downstate voters around common concerns about affordability and governance.
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Operational role in campaign: Del Mar is positioned to oversee the proposed Illinois Department of Government Efficiency, reflecting his organizational expertise and reform agenda.
KEY PRIORITIES
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Fiscal Responsibility: Opposes tax increases, supports balanced budgets, and seeks reform of state spending and pensions
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Agriculture & Rural Illinois: Strong support for farmers, landowners, and rural infrastructure development
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Public Safety: Pro-law enforcement stance and opposition to criminal justice reforms he believes weaken safety
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Personal Liberty: Limits on executive power; opposition to government mandates
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Education & Family Values: Parental rights in education and conservative social policies
Ted Dabrowski/
Carrie Mendoza
Governor/Lt. Governor (Conservative Republican)
"We can do better. Make Illinois Affordable."
Follow the Money...
https://illinoissunshine.org/committees/40825/
Campaign Sites with Links to Social Media
https://ballotpedia.org/Ted_Dabrowski
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Ted Dabrowski)
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President of Wirepoints, leading influential research on Illinois taxes, debt, pensions, and population loss
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Recognized statewide as a leading voice on fiscal responsibility and pension reform
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Regularly cited in media and policy discussions for analysis of Illinois’ economic performance
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Built public-facing tools and reports to increase government transparency and taxpayer awareness
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Ran for Illinois Comptroller (2022), elevating fiscal accountability as a campaign issue
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Carrie Mendoza)
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Dr. Carrie Mendoza, an accomplished Emergency Medicine physician with 25 years of experience across rural, suburban, and urban hospitals, knows what it means to be on the front lines.
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Pioneered policy solutions, built coalitions, and testified at state legislatures to challenge the bureaucratic barriers that harm patients.
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As a medical technology consultant and inventor with two patents, Carrie reimagined care delivery—from Emergency Department communications platforms to telemedicine for nursing homes—and even launched the first-ever Decision Support Tool that calculates detransition risk.
WHY RUNNING
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Running for office out of frustration with what he views as mismanagement of public finances, lack of transparency, and political avoidance of hard math in Illinois government.
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Emphasizes competence over ideology, arguing that Illinois’ problems are
solvable if leaders confront data honestly and reform entrenched systems. -
To protect taxpayers and restore trust in state financial reporting.
KEY PRIORITIES
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Fiscal Accountability, Economic Stability and Pension Reform: Accurate financial reporting, honest budgeting, and independent oversight. Creating conditions that prevent business flight and population loss from Illinois
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Taxpayer Protection: Opposing excessive taxation and exposing wasteful government spending
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Free students from failing schools: Make learning standards the highest in the country. Remove political indoctrination from Illinois classrooms and protect homeschooling
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Fight to repeal the state’s sanctuary policies and the SAFE-T Act.
Rick Heidner/
Christina Nietzke-Troike
Governor/Lt. Governor (Conservative Republican)
"Competence, transparency, and accountability in state government." "Illinois’ long-standing problems stem from financial mismanagement rather than lack of resources."
Follow the Money...
https://illinoissunshine.org/committees/40926/
Campaign Sites with Links to Social Media
https://ballotpedia.org/Rick_Heidner
https://ballotpedia.org/Christina_Neitzke-Troike
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Rick Heidner)
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Built a career as a Certified Public Accountant, working with financial
controls, compliance, and reporting -
Applied private-sector accounting principles to critiques of Illinois state
government finances -
Became a public advocate for fiscal discipline, honest budgeting, and long-
term financial planning -
Elevated discussion around pension liabilities, debt, and structural deficits
during his campaign -
Non-career politician focused on professional management rather than partisan politics
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Christina Nietzke-Troike)
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Mayor of Homer Glen, Illinois, overseeing municipal operations and local
governance -
Previously served as Homer Township Trustee, Village Clerk, and Village Trustee
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Extensive experience in local government administration and public
service -
Involved in community leadership and civic engagement within Will County
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Helped elevate local-government perspectives in a statewide campaign for
executive office
WHY RUNNING
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Concerned that Illinois leadership has failed to confront the state’s financial realities.
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Repeated tax increases and borrowing mask deeper structural problems, including pension obligations, spending inefficiencies, and weak oversight.
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Asserts that Illinois needs leadership grounded in financial expertise, ethical standards, and long-term planning rather than political deal-making.
KEY PRIORITIES
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Fiscal Responsibility: Balanced budgets, honest accounting, and
elimination of budget gimmicks -
Pension and Debt Reform: Transparent reporting and structural solutions to
long-term liabilities -
Government Accountability: Stronger oversight, internal controls, and
ethical standards across agencies -
Taxpayer Protection: Preventing wasteful spending and reducing reliance
on tax increases -
Transparency: Making state finances clear, accessible, and understandable
to the public
James Mendrick/
Robert Renteria
Governor/Lt. Governor (Conservative Republican)
"Safety. Security. Prosperity." "Public safety, fiscal discipline, government accountability, community empowerment and creating better schools."
Follow the Money...
https://illinoissunshine.org/committees/27398/
Campaign Sites with Links to Social Media
https://mendrick4governor2026.com/
https://ballotpedia.org/James_Mendrick
https://ballotpedia.org/Robert_Renteria
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (James Mendrick)
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Sheriff of DuPage County (since 2018) elected without opposition in 2022.
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Over 30 years of service in law enforcement prior to becoming sheriff.
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Public Safety Initiatives
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Partnered with the DuPage County Health Department to implement
medicated assisted treatment (MAT) for inmates with opioid addiction. -
Promoted the use of the Deterra drug deactivation pouch system to safely dispose of unused medications.
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County Jail Programs: As sheriff, has overseen rehabilitation and community
collaboration programs at the DuPage County Jail.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Robert Renteria)
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U.S. Army Veteran
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Prolific author of culturally relevant books and educational curriculum designed to help youth develop conflict resolution, critical thinking, and life skills.
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Worked with schools, churches, and community organizations to
distribute educational materials at no cost aimed at prevention and positive youth development. -
Awards and Recognition
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Two National Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards
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Ambassador for Peace Award from the Universal Peace Federation
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International Honorary Doctorate Degree for Academics and Humanities
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International Outstanding Humanitarian Award
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First Latino globally to receive several of these honors
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Public Speaking as a TEDx speaker
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Served as a Youth Ambassador for the WBC-World Boxing Council
WHY RUNNING
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To bring his “results-driven leadership” statewide, applying his public safety and administrative experience to the governor’s office.
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To restore public safety, fiscal responsibility, and economic opportunity to Illinois.
KEY PRIORITIES
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Public Safety and Crime
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Restoring Law and Order – End reckless soft-on-crime policies, including no-cash bail, to keep criminals off the streets.
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Protecting Families and Neighborhoods – Ensure every Illinois resident feels safe in their home, school, and community.
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Rehabilitating Offenders – Expand successful programs that turn criminals into productive citizens, reducing recidivism.
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Stopping Criminal Illegal Immigrants – Work with ICE to remove criminal migrants from jails before they are released.
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Fighting the Drug Epidemic – Increase law enforcement efforts, strengthen penalties for drug dealers, and keep fentanyl out of our communities.
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Fiscal Responsibility and Economy
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Ending Costly Sanctuary Programs – Stop spending billions on illegal migrants and prioritize Illinois taxpayers.
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Auditing Government Waste – Conduct a full review of state agencies to
eliminate fraud and inefficiencies. -
Cutting Red Tape for Businesses – Reduce excessive regulation and taxation to attract jobs and investment.
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Investing in Workforce Development – Expand vocational training and
apprenticeship programs to prepare Illinoisans for high-quality careers.
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Families and Community Stability
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Refocusing on Core Academics – Improve education standards in reading,
writing, science, and math to ensure student success. -
Protecting Parental Rights – Give parents a say in their children’s education and curriculum choices.
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Keeping Boys and Girls Separate – Maintain gender-specific bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams to protect student privacy and integrity.
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Supporting School Choice – Empower families to choose the best education options, whether public, private, charter, or homeschool.
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Holding Schools Accountable – Implement performance standards to ensure students are receiving a quality education.
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