Voters in Illinois go to the polls Tuesday to select candidates in the Democratic and Republican primaries. Polls will be open until 8 PM ET throughout the state. Our guide to the key races to watch is below.
• IL-Gov (R): Four Republicans are jockeying to take on vulnerable Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn in November: wealthy businessman Bruce Rauner; state Sen. and 2010 candidate Kirk Dillard; state Sen. and 2010 nominee Bill Brady; and state treasurer Dan Rutherford. Rauner has poured his personal funds into the race and was helped when Rutherford's campaign imploded after the treasurer was accused of sexually harassing a former aide. Dillard and his allies are making a late push but it looks like it'll be too little too late, as polls give Rauner a dominant lead in the primary.
Please read below the fold for our preview of House races to watch.
• IL-11 (R): Republicans are hoping to target Democratic Rep. Bill Foster before he can become entrenched. Of the four Republicans running, state Rep. Darlene Senger probably started the contest as the best known, but her fundraising has been very disappointing. Businessman Bert Miller has been doing much better on that front, outspending Senger $235,000 to $39,000 since the beginning of 2014. Two other candidates are running, but they have not made much of an impact.
• IL-13 (R & D): Freshman Republican Rep. Rodney Davis was handed the 2012 nomination after Rep. Tim Johnson dropped out after the primary, so Tuesday will be the first time Davis will face primary voters. Former Miss America Erika Harold initially looked like she could at least give Davis a real challenge, but alas, it was not to be. Harold quickly demonstrated she did not have anywhere near the fundraising ability she needed to defeat Davis, and the incumbent should have little trouble winning re-nomination.
The district only narrowly supported Romney, and Democrats are hoping that Davis' slim 2012 victory means he's vulnerable here. Former Judge Ann Callis is the national party's preferred candidate over physics professor George Gollin and social policy analyst David Green. Both Callis and Gollin have spent big in the last weeks of the contest, with Callis spending almost twice as much. The only public poll of this race gave Callis a 41-25 edge over Gollin, and Green barely registering.
Other Races:
• Illinois: Most of the remaining contests for statewide office have very little suspense, with only one credible candidate running for each party. The one exception is the Republican primary to replace Rutherford as treasurer, where House Minority Leader Tom Cross and DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan are competing. The winner will take on Democratic state Sen. Mike Frerichs.
• Pennsylvania state Senate: Normally a special election in a heavily Republican seat would attract little interest, but the race for Pennsylvania's SD-28 may turn out to be surprisingly competitive. Republican state Rep. Ron Miller and Democrat Linda Small are the two names on the ballot, but conservative businessman Scott Wagner is waging an aggressive and well-funded write-in campaign. State Republicans seem to be taking Wagner seriously, and are airing ads against him. Small still has an uphill climb to win this conservative York County seat, but it looks like Wagner has the potential to make things interesting.