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.

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.

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.

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.