Illinois primary: State Senate and House contests in Chicago test incumbents

As of March 17, 2026, 11:15 AM, voters in Chicago and across Illinois are deciding dozens of legislative nominations in the Illinois primary, including several competitive state Senate and House contests on the city’s North and South sides. All 118 state House seats are on the ballot and 39 of the 59 state Senate seats are up this cycle, with Democrats holding commanding majorities heading into the vote.

On the South Side and nearby suburbs, incumbent Emil Jones III seeks to retain the 14th Senate District seat he has held since 2008. Jones saw a federal bribery trial end in a mistrial, later reached an agreement with prosecutors that avoided prison time, and picked up labor endorsements including from the Illinois Federation of Teachers. His primary opponents are lawyer Ahmed Karrar and small-business owner Kenny Williams; Republican Brian Skala is unopposed on his side.

On the North Side, long-serving state lawmaker Sara Feigenholtz, who was chosen to the Senate in 2020 after 25 years in the House, is challenged in the 6th District by first-time candidate Nick Uniejewski. Both list transit as a priority; Feigenholtz reported roughly $1.2 million at year-end plus about $307,000 raised since January, while Uniejewski reported about $41,000.

Several Chicago House fights are also notable. In the 40th, incumbent Jaime Andrade Jr. faces community organizer Miguel Alvelo Rivera, a race marked by endorsements for Rivera and a disputed mailer that drew calls for an apology. In the 12th, four Democrats vie to replace Margaret Croke; Paul Kendrick has her endorsement while Karim Lakhani leads fundraising. Given Democratic dominance — 78 House and 40 Senate seats — primary outcomes often determine November’s winners.