Illinois’ film industry notched a record year of revenue in 2021 as the industry continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. And a new study finds most governors have positive approval ratings in their states, but Gov. JB Pritzker’s popularity is among the lowest in the nation.

Kent Gray of Leland Grove, left, and Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), right, are running in the Republican primary in the 95th House District. [Kent Gray/Facebook and Blue Room Stream] 

Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) is facing his first challenge from a member of a major party since he was appointed to his House seat in 2015. Butler will face off against former President Donald Trump’s Illinois campaign manager Kent Gray in an almost entirely new district in the June 28 primary. 

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill Wednesday requiring insurance companies to cover the cost of glucose monitors. A new poll shows a tight race between two candidates for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate race while nearly half of voters remain undecided. And Pritzker insisted he’s not considering running for president as he heads to East Coast campaign events.

Grayslake Trustee Laura Faver Dias, left, and Waukegan Director of Government Operations Tom Maillard, right, are running in the Democratic primary for the 62nd House District. [Campaign websites] 

Rep. Sam Yingling’s (D-Grayslake) decision to run for Senate has opened the door to three local government leaders in Lake County who are hoping to advance their political careers with a nomination from Democratic voters in the 62nd House District.

$13 million from outside Illinois has been contributed to the Republican race for governor — mostly to candidates Jesse Sullivan and Gary Rabine

Business friends, supporters and many Florida residents make up $13 million from 86 large contributions delivered to date from people outside Illinois to Republican candidates for governor, according to State Board of Election records.

Gov. JB Pritzker signs the mental health omnibus bill at Family Guidance Centers in Chicago Friday. [Blue Room Stream]

Illinois will have a new tax credit for employers that hire people recovering from substance abuse, reinstate expired licenses for mental health professionals and require insurance companies to cover prostate cancer screening under new laws Gov. JB Pritzker signed Friday.

A new poll conducted Monday and Tuesday by the Sun-Times and WBEZ found Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) has a double-digit lead in the Republican primary for governor as Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin reassesses his advertising strategy. And a Better Government Association report found former Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike is under investigation for a potential ethics violation.

Sen. Eric Mattson (D-Joliet), left, and Will County Board Member Rachel Ventura [Provided by Eric Mattson & Ventura website] 

Illinois’ newest lawmaker Sen. Eric Mattson (D-Joliet) is still settling into his new role after being appointed to fill the seat of former Sen. John Connor (D-Lockport) in May. But Mattson is also in the middle of fending off a primary challenge from Will County Board Member Rachel Ventura of Joliet.

Gov. JB Pritzker meets with members of the Associated Firefighters of Illinois in Springfield Wednesday. [Pritzker campaign]

One of Gov. JB Pritzker’s initiatives to reduce pension burdens on local governments is progressing well and producing better investments, a state firefighter’s union told the governor Wednesday at a campaign event.

From left to right, Nikki Budzinski, David Palmer, Regan Deering and Terry Martin participate in a candidate forum at Faith Coalition for the Common Good in Springfield on Tuesday. [Facebook/Faith Coalition for the Common Good] 

Voters in central Illinois’ 13th Congressional District have new faces to choose from in this year’s election following this last year’s redistricting process and are faced with competitive primaries in both parties.

On the Democratic side, voters will choose between former adviser to Gov. JB Pritzker and White House Office of Management and Budget Chief of Staff Nikki Budzinski and Champaign community organizer David Palmer. On the Republican side are Decatur small business owner Regan Deering, former journalist Terry Martin, engineer Matt Hausman, and nonprofit founder Jesse Reising of Decatur.

Soldier Field in Chicago is pictured on Jan. 2, 2022. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

The Chicago Bears’ decision to consider leaving their historic lakefront home at Soldier Field to buy the Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights brought out opinions of all kinds from football fans and Chicago-area residents.

But the seven men running for governor are largely united on their opinions that public funding should not be used to help the Bears build a larger and more modern home.

Michael Rabbitt, left, and Rep. Mike Kelly (D-Chicago), right. [Rabbitt campaign site & Rep. Kelly Facebook]

Illinois’ newest Rep. Mike Kelly (D-Chicago) is facing a primary challenge from a more progressive Democrat in the June 28 primary. Michael Rabbitt, a community organizer, is attempting to paint Kelly as a “machine” politician with a voting record that leans too far to the right for Democrats.

Leaders of the Democratic Party of Illinois announced they will pursue a coordinated general election strategy this year led by outgoing Secretary of State Jesse White. And Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race sponsored by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Tourism brought an estimated $60 million of economic activity to the Metro East region, officials said.

Javier Yañez, left, and Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago), right, will face off in the June 28 Democratic primary for the 12th Senate District. [Javier Yañez and Illinois Senate Democrats] 

Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) joined the Senate 2020 as the appointed replacement of former Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago) after he resigned amid a federal corruption probe. Now, she is trying to distance herself from the legacies of Sandoval and former Southwest Side Rep. Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) as she faces a June 28 primary challenge.

Gov. JB Pritzker marked the beginning of Pride Month with visits to Chicago small businesses with LGBTQ owners. And Pritzker signed a bill that requires life rings to be placed at all access points Lake Michigan to reduce drownings.

Jesse Sullivan, top left, Darren Bailey, top right, Richard Irvin, bottom left and Paul Schimpf, bottom right, debate on ABC-7 Thursday night. [ABC Chicago]

The six Republican candidates for governor met on the same televised debate stage for the first time this year, less than a month before the primary, and frontrunner Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin took hits from all sides Thursday night.

Arin Thrower, right, and Connie Cain, middle, speak during a League of Women Voters forum in Carpentersville Tuesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

Two Kane County women are hoping to flip Rep. Suzanne Ness’s (D-Crystal Lake) seat back into Republican hands after the first-term lawmaker turned the seat blue in 2020 by unseating former Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee).

Dundee Township Supervisor Arin Thrower of West Dundee and Gilberts accountant Connie Cain both hope to challenge Ness in November and have shown they share many political views. The two candidates running in the June 28 primary are hoping to represent the 66th House District, which includes parts of Crystal Lake, Lake in the Hills, West Dundee and Elgin.

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin speaks at a news conference in Chicago Wednesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

As Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin tries to keep his campaign focused on public safety and supporting police in the final month before the June 28 primary, he used Chicago’s violent Memorial Day weekend to call for a leadership change to make Illinois safer.

Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) presents the Future of Work Task Force at mHub in Chicago Tuesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]  

The COVID-19 pandemic permanently changed how and where people work. Against that backdrop, state lawmakers are now looking to a new report from a task force they created to understand what labor issues they should be focused on after the meaning of work was redefined by the pandemic.

Chelsea Laliberte Barnes of Palatine, left, and Nabeela Syed of Inverness, right, are running in the Democratic primary for the 51st House District. [Campaign websites] 

The Democratic primary in the 51st House District is getting attention from Illinois Democrats with Chelsea Laliberte Barnes and Nabeela Syed bringing in endorsements from high-profile voices in the party as the two candidates fight for a chance to flip a seat and bring their passions to the Illinois House.