West Side nurse and activist Beverly Miles, who is also a military veteran, challenged Pritzker for the Democratic nomination, but he still cruised to victory with the Associated Press calling the race for him less than an hour after polls closed.
The governor and his wife MK cast their votes Tuesday morning at a polling place on the city’s North Side, not far from their Gold Coast home.
LIVE ELECTION RESULTS: See Illinois Primary election results
For months, instead of focusing on his lone primary challenger, Pritzker has had his eye on the Republican primary. He, along with the Democratic Governors Association, has spent millions of dollars on campaign ads to raise the profile of State Senator Darren Bailey.
The governor is betting that Bailey, a staunch conservative, will be a less formidable November opponent than a more moderate Republican.
READ MORE: Darren Bailey appears poised for victory in Illinois governor GOP primary
Pritzker is already painting his general election candidacy as a fight against extreme ideology.
“If people show up and vote and make sure to vote for pro-choice, pro-voting rights, pro-civil rights Democrats, then we can finally, finally secure people’s future and especially here in the state of Illinois,” the governor said.
Earlier in the day, Pritzker greeted diners at Manny’s Deli in the South Loop, where he was joined by some other statewide Democratic candidates.
The governor is holding a primary election night gathering at the Marriott Marquis Hotel near McCormick Place. It’s billed as the official kickoff of his general election campaign.
Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.