Gov. J.B. Pritzker won a third term Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Republican Darren Bailey in a rematch of their 2022 contest, according to an AP report carried by KWQC.

The Associated Press declared Pritzker the winner at 7 p.m. Central time, moments after Illinois polls closed, the Chicago Tribune reported. The win makes Pritzker the first Democrat elected to three terms as governor in state history, according to WAND-TV.

The last three-term governor was Republican James R. Thompson, who served four terms from 1977 to 1991, WAND-TV reported.

Property taxes, affordability drove the race

The issues that shaped the contest hit close to home for DuPage County residents. Bailey made property taxes and the cost of living his central pitch. Pritzker pointed to raising the state minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 an hour and ending the state grocery tax, ABC 7 reported.

The two also clashed over the SAFE-T Act, the 2021 law that eliminated cash bail in Illinois, during their only debate Oct. 13 on WTTW, Capitol News Illinois reported. Bailey campaigned on repealing the law. Other debate topics included state spending, a proposed Bears stadium and data centers.

DuPage County voters cast ballots at early voting sites across the county in the weeks before Election Day. The Glen Ellyn Civic Center was among the DuPage County early voting locations listed by the county clerk's office for the Nov. 3 general election.

The candidates

Pritzker first won the governor's office in 2018. His running mate is Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell, a former state representative who has served in Pritzker's administration since 2019, according to CBS News Chicago. Mitchell replaced Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton after she entered the U.S. Senate race.

Bailey is a farmer from southern Illinois who previously represented the 109th District in the Illinois House. His running mate is Aaron Del Mar, a Palatine businessman and former village council member, according to WGN-TV's voter guide. President Donald Trump endorsed Bailey in September, WGN-TV reported.

Independent Collin Corbett, a Palatine political consultant and former Republican strategist, was also on the ballot. His running mate is Carolyn Schofield.

Money and momentum

Pritzker held a large fundraising advantage. He spent nearly $23.8 million from July through September, compared with about $941,000 by Bailey's committee, according to MultiState. Pritzker entered October with about $44.4 million on hand to Bailey's $482,000.

Pritzker defeated Bailey in 2022 by nearly 13 percentage points. Democrats have held the governor's office since 2019. The last Republican governor was Bruce Rauner, who served from 2015 to 2019, according to MultiState.

Mitchell will become lieutenant governor when the new term begins.