By Mark Weyermuller, Opinion Contributor
The Illinois primary election is Tuesday, March 17, 2026, and early voting is already underway. For a variety of reasons, I always vote on Election Day. I oppose mail-in voting, drop boxes, and early voting. In my view, Election Day should be exactly that — one day for elections.
As I have in the past, I plan to pull a Republican ballot.
Current Gov. JB Pritzker has done a terrible job leading Illinois. The state continues to suffer from population loss, rising crime, job losses, and higher taxes for working families. The latest debacle is the possibility that Illinois could lose the Chicago Bears to Hammond, Indiana.
Imagine that — one of the most historic franchises in the NFL potentially leaving the state.
Meanwhile, last year the Illinois legislature passed more than 3,000 bills, many of which only add to bureaucracy, regulation, and higher taxes.
One such law bans hotels from giving out free mini shampoo bottles. Do we really need a state law for that? Why can’t lawmakers focus on fixing the broken Illinois pension system instead?
With all that said, any of the four Republican candidates would be an improvement over Pritzker.
The four Republicans on the ballot are Darren Bailey, Ted Dabrowski, Rick Heidner, and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick.
Earlier this week, Students for Illinois, a group associated with Turning Point USA (TPUSA), hosted a debate at the Hilton Hotel in Northbrook. Three of the four candidates attended — with Darren Bailey not showing up. Organizers placed an empty chair on the stage to highlight his absence.
The week before, WIND 560-AM hosted another debate with the same candidates — and again, Bailey did not attend. I attended both debates.
Some supporters argue that Bailey is currently ahead in the polls, so debating isn’t necessary. Both Donald Trump and former Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner skipped debates during their campaigns as well.
Last week, I conducted my own informal poll for the Illinois Republican gubernatorial primary based solely on X (formerly Twitter) followers. The results were:
Bailey: 26,800
Heidner: 13,700
Dabrowski: 7,300
Mendrick: 1,300
Gov. Pritzker, by comparison, has 371,700 followers on one account and 202,100 on another. Like most polls, these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt — but social media is undeniably an important part of modern campaigning.
One interesting observation: none of the candidates’ yard signs include the word “Republican.”
In the primary, voters must choose either a Republican or Democratic ballot. Perhaps the candidates are trying to distance themselves from the Illinois Republican Party brand.
The morning after the primary, the Illinois Republican Party will host a “Unity Breakfast” in Naperville.
I have met all four Republican candidates and have also met Gov. Pritzker several times. It will be difficult for anyone to recreate the political momentum — and the financial firepower — that Bruce Rauner had in his first election.
All four Republican candidates are strong contenders, and any one of them would be preferable to the current governor. I will support the Republican nominee in November.
For now, however, I remain undecided.
Please join me in voting next Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
And I just realized — that’s St. Patrick’s Day.
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