Gov. JB Pritzker criticized the Chicago City Council’s resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. And the Department of Healthcare and Family Services began implementing co-pays to reduce state costs in a healthcare program for undocumented residents.  

From left to right, Geary Yonker, Dave Nayak, Graciela Guzman and Sen. Natalie Toro (D-Chicago) are running in the 20th Senate District Democratic primary.    

It’s one of the most expensive primary races of the year and one that will weigh the influence of a powerful teachers’ union, legislative leader and history of progressive community involvement as four candidates fight for the Democratic nomination in the 20th Senate District on the Northwest Side of Chicago. 

The Illinois State Board of Elections meets in Chicago on Tuesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

Former President Donald Trump can remain on the Illinois primary ballot despite questions about his qualifications for office following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the Illinois State Board of Elections ruled unanimously on Tuesday.  

The Illinois State Board of Elections 

Illinois could become the third state to kick former President Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot at a hearing on Tuesday for his role in the Jan. 6 riot. However, with the U.S. Supreme Court also weighing the question, Illinois’ decision may also be left up to judges instead of the appointed board of four Democrats and four Republicans.  

Rep. Nicole La Ha (R-Homer Glen) takes the oath of office in December alongside her family. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

Rep. Nicole La Ha (R-Homer Glen) has worn a lot of hats over her career — from dental hygienist to small business owner to Mrs. America. Now she takes a new job as a state representative hoping to offer some stability to a seat that had three different representatives in 2023.  

Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Caledonia) speaks at a news conference earlier this month. The graphic on the right shows which counties in Illinois are most deprived of local news, according to the task force report. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

More than 200 newspapers and 86 percent of journalism jobs in Illinois have disappeared since 2005. Some counties don’t have any sources of news. The decline of journalism is leaving residents across Illinois more uninformed about what is happening in their local governments and that’s a problem the General Assembly should consider fixing, according to a report from a state task force. 

 

Rep. Marua Hirshaurer (D-Batavia) speaks at a news conference in Chicago on Wednesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

With two headline-grabbing domestic violence shootings in the last week, lawmakers and advocates are renewing calls for a bill to close what they believe is a loophole in state law that has allowed accused domestic abusers to keep guns even after an order of protection is issued.  

The Illinois Capitol 

Illinois’ four legislative leaders and their caucus’ campaign accounts showed strong fundraising numbers to close the end of 2023 and head into the heat of primary season.  

Twelfth Congressional District Republican candidate Darren Bailey released an internal poll showing a closer race than the last poll he conducted. And Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is pushing legislation to ban certain additives in food sold in Illinois.  

Gov. JB Pritzker holds a news conference on abortion in Chicago on Monday. [Gov. JB Pritzker/Facebook] 

Monday marked 51 years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision and the second anniversary of the ruling since the court overturned it last year, leaving issues of abortion policy up to the states.  

Gov. JB Pritzker marked the anniversary by continuing his strategy of keeping abortion a top-of-mind political issue with a news conference on the subject and a pair of statements through his political arm that focused on why abortion will be a top issue in the 2024 election.