Democrat Pritzker wins reelection as Illinois governor

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) has been projected as the winner of the Illinois governor’s contest, defeating Republican nominee Darren Bailey.

The Associated Press called the race at 8 p.m. ET.

Pritzer enjoyed a comfortable lead for most of the race en route to winning a second term. He was ahead of Bailey by 10 points in early polling before he expanded the margin to a 13-point lead just before Election Day.

During a heated debate last month, Pritzker cast his GOP opponent as a radical extremist who was “out of touch” with the priorities of Illinoisans.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) won his reelection race after enjoying a comfortable lead for most of the campaign against Republican opponent Darren Bailey. (Getty)

He noted that Bailey was endorsed by former President Trump and called him a danger to democracy. Bailey has recognized President Biden as the victor of the 2020 election but has not acknowledged he won fair and square.

Bailey slammed the Democratic governor for “woke” ideologies, including for gender policies at schools, a major talking point for Republicans this election cycle. He also criticized Pritzker for what he sees as lax policies on crime and for eliminating cash bail for defendants.

Pritzker touted his first-term accomplishments on the campaign trail, including raising the minimum wage, paying off overdue state bills and expanding abortion rights.