* Treasurer Michael Frerichs…
Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is unopposed in his 2026 re-election effort as no Republicans filed to run against him following Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline.
This marks the first time in at least 90 years that a major political party did not have any candidate file to run in a primary election for statewide office. It could be even longer — that’s as far back as easily accessible online election records go.
A former Republican state senator chalked up the lack of opponent to what Frerichs has accomplished for working families in Illinois and his approach toward politics.
“Mike is a very effective statewide elected official,” said former GOP State Sen. Dave Sullivan, who represented Park Ridge for seven years. “He prioritizes getting things done for everyday folks, and he’s not overly partisan.”
Former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady echoed those sentiments.
“I’m not surprised. Treasurer Frerichs has done a good job,” Brady said. “He’s focused on his job, and that’s why no one wants to run against him.”
Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, applauded Treasurer Frerichs’ work at streamlining the ICash missing money program to return more money.
“Over the last eight years, Treasurer Mike Frerichs has worked with the IMA to return more than $8 million in unclaimed property to manufacturers across Illinois,” Denzler said. We appreciate his partnership to ensure that manufacturers receive lost or forgotten assets, allowing them to focus on what they do best — making the products that power our economy and improve our lives.”
Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, praised Treasurer Frerichs’ work on using state investments to create jobs.
“Mike’s innovative approach on infrastructure investment is putting people to work in Illinois,” Drea said. “That’s something both parties can agree is good for our state.”
During his time as treasurer, Frerichs has:
*Set records for investment returns earned for the state, taking it from $49 million a year to $1.5 billion a year.
*Shattered records for the amount of missing money returned to people
*Expanded opportunities for working families to get ahead.
*Started the Illinois Growth and Innovation fund to help tech companies stay in the state and create 20,000 jobs here.
*Put in place the FIRST Fund to make investments in Illinois roads, bridges, and energy, support job creation for union and other skilled professionals, and earn money for Illinois taxpayers.
“I am proud to have delivered for Illinois taxpayers, driving record returns and putting more money back in their pockets through ICash,” Frerichs said. “We also took the state’s college savings program from worst to first to help families set their children up for a brighter future. And we created from scratch savings programs that help workers save for retirement and people with disabilities build financial wellness without risking much-needed federal benefits.”
A handful of Republicans filed to run for governor: Darren Bailey, James Mendrick, Ted Dabrowski, Max Solomon, Rick Heidner and Gregg Moore.
Three Republicans, Andy Williams, attorney JoAnne Guillemette and former Chicago Ald. Bob Fioretti, have all filed for attorney general.
Attorney Bryan Drew filed for comptroller.
And Diane Harris and Walter Adamczyk filed to challenge Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Nov 3, 25 @ 7:35 pm:
Mike drop?
- Excitable Boy - Monday, Nov 3, 25 @ 7:39 pm:
The laziness continues with the ILGOP. In 2014 it took a week or 2 before Frerichs could declare victory, a decade later they won’t even try.
Keep that in mind next time you feel like whining about the republicans lack of a voice in Springfield, you have to put in the work.
- Dotnonymous x - Monday, Nov 3, 25 @ 8:06 pm:
Darren Bailey, James Mendrick, Ted Dabrowski, Max Solomon, Rick Heidner and Gregg Moore…all together don’t make one legitimate candidate…maybe they should think about pickle ball teams?
- JS Mill - Monday, Nov 3, 25 @ 8:34 pm:
If the democrat majority wasn’t gerrymandering the house and senate districts this wouldn’t happen. /s
- I-55 Fanatic - Monday, Nov 3, 25 @ 8:40 pm:
First time in 90 years is really something. There’s a broader point in here somewhere about how polarized and celebritized politics has become.
- Anyone Remember - Monday, Nov 3, 25 @ 9:56 pm:
Doesn’t make up for …
https://capitolfax.com/2020/10/06/frerichs-cancels-retirement-tax-presser/
- Dan Johnson - Monday, Nov 3, 25 @ 10:01 pm:
That’s impressive crossover appeal by the Treasurer.
- Pundent - Monday, Nov 3, 25 @ 11:10 pm:
=There’s a broader point in here somewhere about how polarized and celebritized politics has become.=
Or perhaps it’s simply ineptness on the part of the ILGOP. These wounds are entirely self-inflicted and I wouldn’t read anything more into it than that.
- Scoot - Tuesday, Nov 4, 25 @ 6:32 am:
The only names I recognize or heard of for the statewide offices are Darren Bailey and Bob Fioretti. And these two aren’t electable candidates.
- CA-HOON! - Tuesday, Nov 4, 25 @ 7:43 am:
A measure of how far the “pArTy oF FiScAl rEsPoNsiBiLiTY” has fallen that they can not even field a candidate for Treasurer.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, Nov 4, 25 @ 8:25 am:
=== Or perhaps it’s simply ineptness on the part of the ILGOP ===
=== That’s impressive crossover appeal by the Treasurer ===
Or maybe it’s both.
Does the GOP have a weak bench? Yes.
Do state government, it’s constitutional officers and their staff need to go out of its way to block legislation based on some hyper-partisan argument that maybe someone or some organization we disagree with politically might benefit? No.
Imagine the outrage if Pritzker had decided to do nothing to help Illinois businesses during COVID because some of them were (or many of them are) owned by rightwing Republicans?
Or if Denzler and the IMA had refused to assist Pritzker in meeting the supply chain needs of the state because it might make the Democrat look good?
I think the lesson here for all of the folks who believe that DC is broken is that there are Republicans in Illinois who believe that there is a time for politics and a time to work together for the common good.
Frerichs is as committed to the core principles of the Democratic Party and electing more Democrats as you are going to see in Illinois. But he is clearly showing that Democrats and Republicans can work together on the 80% we generally agree upon.
And Republicans are showing that there are atleast some who agree with that approach, and I believe there are many that agree with Denzler, Brady and Sullivan in the General Assembly. At the very least, anyone thinking about running against Frerichs found that there was no one willing to fund it.
That’s my take.
- Walker - Tuesday, Nov 4, 25 @ 9:24 am:
He delivers. He’s creative with solutions. He tells the truth. Mike deserves any praise he gets (and I’d trust him in Washington)
- low level - Tuesday, Nov 4, 25 @ 11:05 am:
Congrats to Mike and his very capable staff which includes G. Allen Mayer, Richard Greenfield, Dave Clarkin and many others. Great work all around.