List of rumored 2026 Illinois Republican Governor Candidates

The Illinois Record provides an overview of the top Republicans considering a run for governor.

With James Mendrick’s gubernatorial campaign heading in the same direction as Jussie Smollett’s acting career, many hopefuls are lining up to enter the high-profile race for Illinois governor.

The Illinois Record breaks down all other rumored Republican’s aiming to run for governor in 2026 .

Twitter/ President Trump calls on Republicans to run against Governor JB Pritzker to save Illinois.

Richard Porter

Appointed as a special assistant to President George H.W. Bush, attorney Richard Porter has spent decades as a behind-the-scenes player in Republican politics.

Portrayed by Christopher Wallinger in Impeachment: American Crime Story, Richard Porter was “the fixer” who spent six years probing and publicizing Bill Clinton’s sex scandals, ultimately leading to his impeachment.

American Crime Story/ Christopher Wallinger as Richard Porter (left)

More recently, Porter served as Illinois’ RNC Committeeman.

Porter has flirted with a gubernatorial run for years—but never pulled the trigger. That could change in 2026.

Facebook / Richard Porter supporting Richard Irvin for Governor alongside Lynn O’Brien. Porter’s support for liberal Richard Irvin could come back to bite him in a Republican Primary.

Porter has been appearing on local radio, tested the waters with potential allies, and published national op-eds on tariffs . All signs suggest he’s seriously considering jumping in. Still, Porter is famously cautious. Even with a viable path to a primary win, he may sit it out—especially with JB Pritzker’s advantages: Taxpayer money to buy state and local employee support, name recognition, eight-figure campaign funds, and an election-rated “Safe Democrat” from the Cook Political Report.

We’ve previously criticized Porter for cozying up to questionable ILGOP figures. But Porter’s philosophy is to fund everyone, and he doesn’t play favorites. His influence flows through steak dinners, front row Cubs seats, and checks ranging from $500 to $10,000.

Facebook/ Tom Devore brags about cubs tickets

In a state where a new washing machine costs more than most Republican organizations’ bank accounts, Porter’s largesse buys absolute loyalty that spans Republican ideology.

He might be the only guy in Illinois who could get soon-to-be-former attorney Tom DeVore and his nemesis, House GOP Leader Tony McCombie, to back him in a primary.

Facebook/ Richard Porter with State Rep Tony McCombie

Facebook/ Thomas Devore with Richard Porter

Porter says he’s uniting the party. We might say he’s enabling its losing, corrupt culture. Either way, his Chicago ties and polished presence (he’s a former partner at Kirkland & Ellis) make him a candidate who likely will not scare independent and Democrat voters who have haunted Republican state-wide elections hopes by creating a new stronghold in cook-and-the-collar suburban counties.

In The Illinois Record’s view, Porter’s biggest threat is a Republican primary where Southern Illinois has an outsized influence—and most of the candidates are from the north. For Porter to emerge from the Republican primary, he must either dominate his home turf or hope the field gets crowded with multiple candidates with strong ties to Southern Illinois.

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Darren Bailey

Darren Bailey is a multigenerational Illinois farmer, former state senator, and founder of Full Armor Christian Academy (pre-K through 12). He is the 2022 Republican nominee for governor and a 2024 nominee for Congress against incumbent Mike Bost.

This week, Darren Bailey was in D.C. looking for financial backing after speaking at the McHenry County Lincoln Day Dinner and promoting his new book—classic signals he’s eyeing a comeback.

Facebook/ Darren Bailey poses with Tom Webber at Mchenry Counties April 5th Lincoln day dinner in which Bailey was the headline speaker.

Facebook/ April 6th Darren Bailey takes to DC to apparently seek big money supporters for a Gubernatorial race.

But he may need a new top donor. In 2022, Republican megadonor Dick Uihlein pumped more than $50 million into Bailey’s campaign effort—$10 million directly to Bailey, and $42 million to the Proft-run PAC People Who Play By the Rules. Uihlein demanded Dan Proft—not Bailey—control the spending, a setup that drew legal scrutiny and triggered a lawsuit over potential coordination. This time around, insiders say Uihlein may focus on safer bets like local races—or sit the cycle out entirely.

Capitol News Illinois / Andrew Adams and Hannah Meisel

Bailey still has real strengths: statewide name recognition from two major campaigns and likely support from pro-life organizations. But the vulnerabilities are just as real—voter fatigue, scorched-earth baggage from a bitter congressional primary with MAGA Rep. Mike Bost, and the risk that old controversies, like the quietly-settled labor dispute with his teenage “body man,” resurface at the worst possible time.

The Illinoize/ Patrick Pfingsten covers the potential scandal between Bailey and a teen boy that was eventually squashed, but could re-emerge.

Bailey also knows what a governor’s race costs—and what losing a third time could mean. Still, in a fractured primary field, Bailey has a path to win the primary. He’s one of the few with the conservative brand, the base, and the campaign experience to run a statewide campaign.

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Aaron Del Mar

Del Mar made his statewide debut as Gary Rabine’s 2022 running mate, but in Cook County, he’s been a bureaucratic title collector for years. He’s served as a Rauner appointee to the State Highway Commission, Chair of the Palatine GOP, 5th District State Central Committeeman, on-again/off-again ILGOP Co-Chair, and the Cook County GOP chair.

Of course, there's the $20k-a-year paid position as Palatine Highway Commissioner, which this month he controversially managed to hold onto by cutting deals with Palatine Democrats to run a mixed slate, avoiding an election, and securing a taxpayer-funded job many believe shouldn't even exist.

Breakthrough Ideas/ Article on Del Mar’s deal with Democrats.

We’ve reported on Del Mar extensively, often highlighting his troubling connections to SoulRaper.com. What we haven’t revealed is that a national journalist tipped us off, and that same reporter has since compiled information that could seriously damage Del Mar’s political ambitions, both here and elsewhere. Del Mar’s campaign could easily become the perfect pinata for Illinois Democrats to swing at, offering them a chance to deflect from their own record while using Del Mar to paint Republicans as slimy hypocrites without values.

The smart move for Del Mar would be to write a book and slide into a comfy pundit gig next to his political mentor Pat Brady, Chicago media’s favorite “Republican in name only.” to opine on issues of the day.

Still, Del Mar has put in a lot of time—hundreds of hours at Lincoln Day events statewide— and likely would enjoy a year long party, fundraising, and self promotion tour that comes even with losing gubernatorial campaigns.

And there have been public hints that Del Mar may forego basic risk management and run for governor

Gary Rabine’s now deleted Facebook post announcing that Del Mar will be running with “Kristy” .

Gary Rabine recently let it slip online that Del Mar is indeed running for governor and with former Chicago Luv-a-Bull Kristina McCloy as Del Mar’s Lt Gov. Another clue came when Del Mar announced a “once-in-four-year” fundraiser at his Palatine United party running mate Andy John Kalkounas's steakhouse, a not-so-subtle hint toward a gubernatorial bid, given that the race is held every four years.

Facebook. Aaron Del mar announces a “once in every 4 year event!”

Facebook / Andy-John Kalkounas, Former Dennis Hastert worker Mark Vargas, and Del Mar. in 2022, Andy John- Kalkounas controversially launched a culinary scholarship with his brother, Stelia—who, at the time, was a convicted sex offender. In 2024, Stelia was indicted again—this time for child trafficking and producing child pornography as part of a apparent disturbingly sophisticated operation.

Del Mar faces an uphill battle with the MAGA base after blaming Trump for January 6th and striking a deal to run alongside far-left Palatine Democrats. He'll also draw fire from the MAHA crowd due to his strong support for COVID vaccines. Suburban Neocons may bypass him in favor of a more polished candidate like Richard Porter, especially if Del Mar picks a Chicago Bulls cheerleader as his running mate.

Facebook/ Del Mar (left) talks with his Palatine township running mate Andy-John Kalkounas

The pro-life lane—at least in theory—could be open to Del Mar, but it's still a long shot. He now claims to be pro-life, but most groups in that space are more likely to rally behind candidates with a stronger anti-abortion record, like Darren Bailey or Jeanne Ives. And religious organizations will likely hesitate to endorse someone who actively runs casino-style gambling events and once owned a site called SoulRaper.com with demonic imagery.

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Jeanne Ives

Jeanne Ives was a highly active Republican state rep who remains a bona fide Illinois conservative celebrity, thanks to her 2018 challenge to the unpopular Governor Bruce Rauner—where she came shockingly close to winning.

Since her loss to Sean Casten in the 2020 congressional race, Ives claims to dedicate 50 hours a week to her nonprofit, Breakthrough Ideas, which has been profiting her six figures annually.

Facebook/ Jeanne Ives campaigning for Congress

The organization seems to shift from one hot-button issue to another—pornographic books in schools, fentanyl, the Mexican border, China—and now "Doge." Breakthrough Ideas raises around a million dollars annually, all while heavily promoting Ives' brand through a podcast and a sponsored spot on an AM radio.

AM 560’s website for Breakthrough Ideas show

We jokingly call her Jeanne “DEIves,” a nod to her acceptance into West Point right after they introduced affirmative action-like policies to admit women—while Ives’s since built a career criticizing DEI and other identity-driven agendas. She’s managed to pull in millions of donations from people who already agree with her, but hasn’t exactly expanded her appeal beyond that base.

Facebook/ Jeanne Ives West Point Graduation

A political science aficionado, Ives likely knows she won't win, but that's not necessarily the goal. Running for Governor could be an excuse to raise tens of millions of dollars—money she can not spend and later donate to her "nonprofit," Breakthrough Ideas. All while getting a years-long media tour that will be the equivalent of millions in earned media and will help keep her brand relevant.

If Darren Bailey drops out, Ives could quickly secure pro-life endorsements, often the clearest indicator of who will win a contested GOP primary.

And with obese billionaire JB Pritzker being a popular target of Republicans' angst, the primary winner could easily rake in over 100 million dollars from passionate donors, creating a sizeable financial ceiling for Ives to consider.

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Joe Severino

Facebook / “Severino for Governor” has appeared as a seemingly official account.

Lake Forest businessman and family man Joe Severino may have tipped his hand with a subtle Facebook photo update. He was floated on the ILGOP consultant podcast Smoke-Filled Room, and even his critics—like consultant Philippe Mila—admitted that if Severino runes “he probably will not be insignificant."

Smoke Filled Room / Time Stamp 35 minutes 26 seconds

Severino would be the most Trump-like candidate in the field. Perhaps the GOP’s most effective political brawler, Severino combines raw facts with brutal, Trump-style haymakers.

Facebook/ Joseph Severino speaks at an event.

He doesn’t hold back: calling out a GOP official accused of groping teens (who resigned), exposing a committeeman for following porn bots, highlighting a congressional candidate’s ties to the CCP sale, and demanding Sheriff Mendrick take a lie detector test over his alleged hate crime hoax.

Facebook/ Severino calls for James Mendrick to take a polygraph test.

Severino’s attacks often go beyond what’s considered “normal politics,” but they land because he usually spotlights politically relevant, uncomfortable truths.

Facebook/ Severino calls out Democrat Congressman Brad Scneider over Deerfield police reports involving a sex worker.

As a Trump-supporting, religious, pro-life, MAGA, MAHA conservative living among rich neocons in the Northern Suburbs, Joe is well-positioned to connect with the diverse constituencies that shape a Republican primary. He could be a serious contender in a race that might not attract many serious candidates.

Insiders say Severino’s campaign promise is to “put the Illinois Republican Party on trial.” Given the party’s parade of ethical lapses, corruption, and outright weirdness, we’re not opposed to seeing that message spread across the state.

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Todd Ricketts

Todd Ricketts is a board member at TD Ameritrade, former RNC Finance Chair under Trump, and most famously, a co-owner of the Cubs who played a key role in ending their World Series drought

Ricketts is a religious conservative, a wealthy businessman, and a Trump ally—everything you need to win a partisan primary. In a general election, Ricketts is one of the few who could credibly compete with Pritzker’s fundraising and name recognition.

However, Ricketts has been silent so far. A brighter path to a general election win would be running for untrustworthy republican Darin LaHood’s safe Republican seat in the 16th district. But if Ricketts jumps in the 2026 Gubernatorial race, he instantly becomes a frontrunner in the primary and a threat in the general.

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John Cabello

A longtime Rockford police detective and multi-term Republican rep from Northern Illinois, Representative Cabello was the first Illinois elected official to endorse Donald Trump for president in 2016 and served on his victory committee.

In 2024, he came a few votes short of becoming the ILGOP Chair. If the vote had been public, Cabello likely would’ve beaten Kathy Salvi easily— who recently told a crowd that she wears the phrase “RINO” as a badge of honor.

But unfortunately, the ILGOP chair is decided by mostly corrupt or strange state central committeemen. And the 17 SCC members narrowly chose Salvi, who, despite frequent media appearances, still hasn’t delivered a coherent sentence—or an electoral win.

Running for governor would mean giving up his House seat, which might give Cabello pause. But don’t rule it out. Trump, who recently said the 2026 race is the “last hope” to save Illinois, could lobby one of the few elected republicans in Illinois to to fight Pritzker. Cabello—who is calling for the creation of an Illinois DOGE committee, has constituents in critical collar counties, has message discipline, and isn’t afraid to be a Maga republican—would be on the shortlist.

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Kevin Warren

Kevin Warren is a devout Christian who often praises the Lord and credits faith as the foundation of every decision he makes.

Sportspectrum.com / article by Kevin Mercer

A former college basketball standout, Warren earned his law degree from Notre Dame and rose through the ranks in sports law to president of the Big Ten conference. He won praise from football fans for working with President Trump to save the 2021 college football season and helped lead the big ten conference’s last expansion.

Since 2023, Warren has been at the helm of the Chicago Bears, overseeing a fan-favorite rebuild and spearheading efforts to move the team from leasing Soldier Field to revitalizing the former Arlington race track into the Bear's new home stadium. While Pritzker has pushed back on Bear's request for 30% state funding, some speculate Warren may respond to Pritzker in a big way by running for governor.

There's talk of drafting him into the race, but Warren would have to step away from a promising 2025 Bears team. Though he's never publicly declared a party affiliation, his values and faith-first approach—recognized in 2023 with the Tony Dungy "Uncommon Award"—would likely resonate with GOP primary voters.

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And of course, don’t be surprised if a local mayor, state senator, or outsider businessman jumps in. The Illinois Record is ready to host a debate—and we’ll offer this platform to anyone who seeks higher office.

Unless you fake a hate crime. Then we’d really have to think about it.

James Mendrick still has not answered to the holes and inconsistencies in his alleged hate crime hoax.