* JB for Governor…

Ahead of the WTTW gubernatorial debate, JB for Governor launched a new ad today called “Reality Check,” highlighting Donald Trump’s failed policies that continue to hurt Illinois families, and Governor JB Pritzker’s fight to lower costs for Illinoisans.

Trump has stolen $3,325 out of Illinois families’ pockets with his illegal tariffs, and he skyrocketed gas prices with his war in Iran, forcing Illinois residents to pay $2.56 billion more. Meanwhile, Gov. Pritzker has fought to lower costs for Illinoisans by eliminating the state tax on groceries, capping the cost of insulin, and creating and doubling the child tax credit.

As Trump continues to hurt Illinoisans with failed economic policies, Darren Bailey continues to stand proudly behind him. Illinois deserves a governor that has a record of being a fighter, not a Trump lapdog that calls his failed leadership “short-term pain for a long-term gain.”

The ad will air statewide, on broadcast and digital platforms.

* The spot…

* Politico…

“I took him all the way to the Supreme Court, and won,” says Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul in an ad that’s coming out today and referencing President Donald Trump. Watch here.

* Democratic US Senate nominee Juliana Stratton is up with her first TV ad of the general election…

* Subscribers know more. The Tribune…

After [Rep. Harry Benton] resigned in July and dropped his reelection bid, Democratic Party officials appointed Jessica Dixon Heitman to finish his term representing the 97th House District, which encompasses a swath of Chicago’s far southwest suburbs, and to take his spot on the ballot.

Heitman now faces Republican Gabby Shanahan, whom Benton defeated in the 2024 election by fewer than 2,400 votes out of more than 52,700 ballots cast. […]

[Heitman] also worked briefly as a contract employee in Benton’s Plainfield office in early 2023, overlapping with the ex-staffer who accused him of sexual harassment. Working in Benton’s office “was not a great fit,” Heitman told the Tribune in a July interview, adding, “It’s a hard thing” to discuss.

Shanahan and other Republicans have criticized Heitman for not coming forward about the former Benton staffer’s allegations. In an interview last month, Shanahan said that when bad things happen to young women in politics and government, “we need good advocates to encourage these people to come forward.” […]

“What happened to her never should have happened,” Heitman told the Tribune last week. “And it’s so disturbingly troubling to me to see her experience being turned into a political weapon because that is exactly what has happened here. … She deserves better than what she went through, being used to score campaign points.”

Discuss.

* More…

* ABC Chicago | Illinois Senate candidates outline priorities on affordability, immigration: With the November election less than a month away, the three candidates running to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin are sharpening their messages on affordability, immigration reform and how they would approach the job. Democrat Juliana Stratton, Republican Don Tracy and American Center Party candidate Whitfield Harrington Jr. discussed their priorities during a taping of “Our Chicago.”

* WGN | Race for Governor hits the home stretch: Pearson says he expects Bailey to come out firing when the two meet for a televised forum on Tuesday, ” I would expect that it’s going to be an angry Darren Bailey, and that it’s going to be attack, attack, attack, attack, attack, and basically try to keep Pritzker from answering or saying anything.”

* Sun-Times | Gubernatorial grudge match pits Gov. JB Pritzker against Darren Bailey: The Hyatt hotel heir with an estimated net worth of $4.2 billion dropped $65 million into his gubernatorial campaign this summer, pushing his personal tab over three campaigns past $400 million. That’s not counting millions more that Pritzker has directed to fellow Democrats and left-leaning causes across the nation and at home, including $58 million he pumped into his most notable state-level loss: the failed 2020 effort to amend Illinois’ constitution allowing for a graduated state income tax.

* Press release | Illinois Farm Bureau Names State Rep. Adam Niemerg ‘Friend of Agriculture’: Based on his record of support for Illinois farmers and the agriculture industry in the state, the Illinois Farm Bureau has named State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) a 2026 “Friend of Agriculture.” “Agriculture is the lifeblood of the Illinois economy,” Niemerg said. “Illinois is a leading ag producing state. We feed the nation and the world here in Illinois. I am committed to preserving the rich history of family farming in our great state. It is an honor to receive this award.”

* Tribune | Illinois Senate race: Juliana Stratton, F-bomb ads behind her, leans on primary performance versus Don Tracy: Her Republican opponent, Don Tracy, has used the emergence of progressive candidates like El-Sayed to try to paint Stratton as a supporter of socialism. Stratton, though she backs progressive policies, does not identify as a democratic socialist. “I am not as much into the categorization as I am in — what kind of lives do I want people to live?” Stratton said. “It’s not like having access to healthcare or making a livable wage is a Democrat or Republican issue. It’s not a progressive issue versus a moderate (one).”

* Lake County News-Sun | Political newcomers vying for 51st District state House seat: Both Smith, a Republican, and Democrat Levin have devoted their careers to helping people. When it comes to raising the income limit for child assistance in Illinois, they share a belief that aid should be available to more families. “Parents sit across from me crying because their children need help and (they) can’t afford the cost of daycare,” Smith said. “It’s a huge cost. I would support raising the income limit for childhood support for parents.” Seeing benefits beyond the families themselves, Levin said she would “love to see that money increase.” She also understands the state’s revenue sources are limited by its current tax structure, which also needs changes.