Stories by Brenden Moore — Capitol News Illinois

Though hundreds of Republican candidates will appear on the ballot in Illinois in November, the state’s Democrats are focused on a common opponent: President Donald Trump.

After three years on the legislative backburner, the Illinois House approved a major economic development bill that would clear the path for the Chicago Bears to build a new domed stadium in Arlington Heights.

The bill would give local governments power to negotiate with the Chicago Bears — and other “megadevelopments” — over property tax payments.

Reporters found the 60-year-old governor did roughly 100 one-on-one media interviews in 2025, his most of any year in his tenure as governor. Of those, 81% were with national media outlets, podcasters, social media influencers or television entertainment hosts — a major uptick from early in his tenure.

Nearly 300 new Illinois laws will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

The once-every-two-year spectacle is the formal kickoff to campaign season, with candidates for state, federal and judicial offices filing hundreds to thousands of signatures to secure their place on the March 17 primary ballot.