The Latest Breaking News from JB Pritzker

CHICAGO — When Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker claimed victory Tuesday night over a vanquished Republican Darren Bailey for a second term as Illinois governor, he also presented himself as a possible 2024 candidate for the White House if President Joe Biden opts not to seek a second term.

Maybe telling folks whose votes you need that they live in a “hellhole” wasn’t smart politics.

A major criminal justice reform law, COVID-19 mandates and abortion were among the issues in the campaign.

In prewritten remarks sent to reporters, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was prepared to say Bailey had conceded, and it was a sign that democracy works. That appeared to be a rosy scenario. Bailey did not concede until nearly 90 minutes after the governor spoke.

The 19-week tangle between Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey was shaped by fights over abortion, political extremism, crime and the economy. Insults flew from the onset.

The Democratic governor of Illinois is seeking a second term in Tuesday's election

Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Chicago comes a day after President Joe Biden campaigned for congressional Democrats in the suburbs, as the president, with his low approval ratings, has largely avoided some of the most competitive states.

CHICAGO — Politicians fanned out across the state on the final weekend of the 2022 general election campaign, led by President Joe Biden who spoke in Joliet on Saturday amid concerns that a Republican surge on Election Day could cost Democrats control of both Illinois’ political agenda and Congress.

The Sun-Times spoke with Freeport residents to gauge what’s on their minds days before Tuesday’s election, and their responses were fittingly diverse for a blue-leaning city in a blood-red county. Patty Tricker worries that Democrats are “all too happy to let criminals roam free.” But Gary…