Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) speaks with U.S. Rep. Brad Schnieder (D-Ill.) after visiting with Vice President Kamala Harris in Highland Park Tuesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

Illinois imposes more layers of review over gun purchases than most other states with its background checks, firearm owner identification (FOID) card requirements and “red flag” laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of people who may harm themselves or others.

However, Monday’s shooting that killed seven and injured more than 40 people at the Highland Park Independence Day parade is sparking reviews of the strength of the state’s gun laws after authorities revealed the shooter obtained a FOID card and legally purchased weapons despite prior contact with police.

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks to reporters in Highland Park on July 4 alongside Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering and U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). [Gov. JB Pritzker/Facebook]

After north-suburban Highland Park became the latest American community to suffer a mass shooting, Illinois lawmakers are stepping up their calls to crack down on guns to prevent future violence.

Gov. JB Pritzker responds to the overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 25. [Blue Room Stream] 

Lawmakers and abortion advocates will continue to work through the summer to craft legislation in response to the end of Roe v. Wade before returning to Springfield for a special session, legislative leaders and Gov. JB Pritzker announced Tuesday.

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, right, speaks after conceding defeat to Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) on election night. [Blue Room Stream]  

Six months ago, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin was the clear favorite for the Republican nomination for governor. He counted support from establishment Republicans and Illinois’ richest man, and his record as mayor of Illinois’ second-largest city convinced political observers he could attract independent voters to help him make a serious challenge to Gov. JB Pritzker in November.

On Tuesday night, the former front-runner went home after finishing in a distant third place with less than 15 percent of the vote.

Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) speaks about the tax relief plan at a news conference in Chicago Thursday. [Blue Room Stream]

Illinois taxpayers will receive $1.8 billion of relief in some form during the next year as Gov. JB Pritzker’s and General Assembly Democrats’ tax relief plan officially becomes law Friday.

Juvenile justice and mental health professionals speak to lawmakers in Chicago Thursday. [Blue Room Stream] 

Youths at Illinois’ juvenile justice facilities are not receiving the right mental health care, and in some cases aren’t receiving care at all, officials who work in the system told lawmakers Thursday.

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), left, and Gov. JB Pritzker, right celebrate their election night victories. [Blue Room Stream & Don Vincent/The Daily Line]  

A day after Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) completed a convincing win in the Republican primary, Gov. JB Pritzker is ready to defend his record and make sure voters know where Bailey stands on issues, too.

Clockwise from the top left, Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-Addison), Rep. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside), Rep. David Welter (R-Morris), Rep. Denyse Stoneback (D-Skokie), Rep. Mark Luft (R-Pekin), Rep. Sam Yingling (D-Grayslake) and Sen. Eric Mattson (D-Joliet) all appear to have lost their primary races Tuesday.

Primary elections bring out the hardcore voters in each party, and results show the voters have likely ended the legislative careers of five Democrats and two Republicans in favor of challengers who fit more progressive or conservative views, respectively.

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) celebrates at his election party in Effingham.

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) has ridden his wave of popularity from fighting COVID-19 mitigations to claim the Republican nomination for governor with a convincing victory Tuesday night.

Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago) celebrates a victory in the Democratic primary for the 3rd Congressional District. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) and Alexi Giannoulias will square off in the race for secretary of state in the general election, U.S. Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Mary Miller (R-Ill.) survived primaries that pitted them against other incumbents, while Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-Addison) trailed and Rep. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside) conceded late Tuesday night.

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) was endorsed by former President Donald Trump at a rally in Adams County on Saturday. [Blue Room Stream]

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) believes he can turn Illinois red. After polls over the last month showed Bailey building a substantial lead over his fellow Republican contenders for governor, Bailey picked up a coveted endorsement from former President Donald Trump over the weekend that he is riding into Tuesday’s primary as he builds favor with Republican voters.

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin speaks to employees at a manufacturing facility in Wauconda on June 21. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin spent much of this year as the front-runner for the Republican nomination for governor. But Democratic organizations poured millions of dollars into ads attacking Irvin, and as the June 28 primary approached, Irvin found himself trying to stop Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) from claiming the nomination.

Clockwise from the top left: Former U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois John Milhiser, Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington), Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), Nabeela Syed, Chelsea Laliberte Barnes, Rachel Ventura and Sen. Eric Mattson (D-Joliet) are some of the candidates facing competitive primaries Tuesday.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday to choose a Republican challenger to Gov. JB Pritzker, two new nominees for Secretary of State for the first time since 1998, new congressional nominees, a new Supreme Court justice and which lawmakers they want representing them in Springfield.

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks at a news conference in Chicago Friday. [Blue Room Stream]   

Gov. JB Pritzker will call the General Assembly into a special session in the “coming weeks” to tackle reproductive legislation and shore up abortion protections in Illinois after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday, he announced.  

Secretary of State Jesse White, middle, speaks about his support for Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia’s nomination for secretary of state at an event in Waukegan Thursday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

Secretary of State Jesse White turned 88 Thursday and spent his day voting early in Chicago with Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia and calling on voters to choose her as the next Democratic nominee for secretary of state.

Sen. Dick Durbin, second from left, speaks during a presentation in front of the Democratic National Committee Thursday alongside from left to right, Ron Holmes, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Abby Witt and Jake Lewis. [DNC/YouTube

The Democratic Party of Illinois made a formal pitch to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Thursday to hold one of 2024’s first Democratic presidential primaries by highlighting the state’s diversity and significant position in the Midwest.

A mailer by the Democratic Party of Illinois describes Republican attorney general candidate Tom Devore. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

Democratic organizations have weighed into the Republican gubernatorial primary through TV commercials and direct mailers targeting Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin and highlighting Sen. Darren Bailey’s (R-Xenia) conservative credentials. Now the Democratic Party of Illinois is extending the tactic to weigh into the Republican attorney general primary.

Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Addison, and Norma Hernandez of Melrose Park are competing in the Democratic primary in the 77th House District. [House Democrats and Norma Hernandez/Facebook]

Veteran Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-Addison) made headlines in 2021 when she was one of three Democratic women to publicly announce she was mounting a run for speaker against former House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago). Now Willis is fighting off a challenger to her own legislative career from Triton College Trustee Norma Hernandez of Melrose Park.

More than 200,000 Illinoisians have already cast their ballot for the June 28 primary. [Mauricio Pena/Block Club Chicago]

With the June 28 primary less than a week away, more than 210,000 people have already cast their ballots in Illinois, which is less than half the number of people who voted early before the 2018 primary, records show.

Gregg Johnson, left, and Thurgood Brooks, right, are competing in the Democratic primary for the 72nd House District. [Campaign websites]  

A pair of East Moline Democrats and a former Rock Island mayoral candidate are vying for the Democratic nomination in the 72nd House District after Rep. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) decided to a pursue a seat in the Illinois Senate.