March 17, 2026 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Results for Election Day 2026
https://abc7chicago.com/live-updates/live-updates-chicago-area-voting-candidates-results-illinois-primary-election-day-2026-march-17/18721592/
— Darren Bailey apparent frontrunner in Republican primary for governor
https://abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-primary-election-day-2026-darren-bailey-frontrunner-republican-governor-challenge-jb-pritzker/18726459/

NBC5
— Illinois Governor Primary Results 2026
https://www.nbcchicago.com/illinois-election-2026/2026-illinois-primary-election-results-governor/3909440/
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/illinois-governor-results
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/national

CBS2
— Illinois primary elections 2026 live updates
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/live-updates/illinois-midterm-primary-election-results-2026/

WGN9
— Tracking Illinois primary election day results
https://wgntv.com/news/politics/live-blog-tracking-illinois-primary-election-day-results/

FOX32
— Illinois State Senate Primary Election Results 2026
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-state-senate-primary-election-results
— Illinois Governor Primary Election Results 2026
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-governor-2026-primary-results
— Illinois County Office Primary Election Results 2026
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/county-2026-primary-election-results

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— 2026 Illinois primary day election results
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/17/illinois-primary-day-election-results/
— 2026 primary day election results: Governor
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/17/2026-primary-day-election-results-governor/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Election Day For 2026 Illinois Primary: Live Updates
https://chicago.suntimes.com/live/election-day-illinois-primaries-2026-results-analysis

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— As polls head toward closing time, precincts report low turnout
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics-policy/ccb-congressional-races-roundup-20260317/

WGLT
— Many say they use cannabis for their mental health, but there’s no evidence it helps. DD: In 2019, I led the successful effort to ban the sale of pot in Wheaton.
https://www.wglt.org/2026-03-17/many-say-they-use-cannabis-for-their-mental-health-but-theres-no-evidence-it-helps

WSIL TV
— Hope Chicago builds Southern Illinois partnerships to expand debt-free college opportunities. DD: Back in the good-old-days, that is back in 1970, I was able to work my way through college and to graduate debt-free owning a 1969 Dodge Charger SE. But it harmed my GPA.
https://www.wsiltv.com/news/education/hope-chicago-builds-southern-illinois-partnerships-to-expand-debt-free-college-opportunities/article_d08af079-dbf8-439f-b4de-4998bcfcf4bd.html

DUPAGE COUNTY ELECTION DIVISION
— Election Results
https://www.dupageresults.gov/IL/DuPage/

CAPITOL FAX
— Late-afternoon precinct reports
https://capitolfax.com/2026/03/17/late-afternoon-precinct-reports-and-some-news-updates/
(FROM THE REPORT: DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek…As of 2:00 p.m. on Mar. 17, 2026, 115,069 voters out of 636,822 registered voters have voted in DuPage County for a turnout of 18.07% percent. 41,212 voters took advantage of in-person Early Voting. 35,966 out of 73,822 requested Vote-By-Mail ballots have been received and verified as of this afternoon. 37,891 voters have voted in-person on Election Day as of 2:00 p.m. In 2014, the final midterm primary turnout was 19.19%. In 2018, the final midterm primary turnout was 24.88%. In 2022, the final midterm primary turnout was 22.79%.  “Election Day voting by hour has been trending higher all day than comparable past elections. With five hours left to vote and more Vote-by-Mail ballots to be delivered, DuPage County is on pace for its highest midterm turnout in recent memory. I encourage DuPage County voters to take advantage of the opportunity to vote at any polling place throughout the county before 7:00 p.m. this evening,” said County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek.)
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/03/17/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-488/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Democrats Vastly Outnumber Republicans in Early and Mail In Ballots
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2026/03/17/democrats-vastly-outnumber-republicans-in-early-and-mail-in-ballots/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— As Trump closes the border, unauthorized migrants surge at U.S. airports
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/mar/17/trump-closes-border-unauthorized-migrants-surge-us-airports/

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Illegal aliens voting in U.S. elections are a growing epidemic that spans whole country
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/03/17/illegal-aliens-voting-in-u-s-elections-is-a-growing-epidemic-that-spans-whole-country-1627728/

NEWS BUSTERS
— Hollywood’s Anti-ICE Obsession: Illegals Portrayed as Innocent Victims
https://newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/dawn-slusher/2026/03/16/hollywoods-anti-ice-obsession-illegals-portrayed-innocent

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Illinois gubernatorial GOP primary
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5776875-live-results-illinois-gubernatorial-gop-primary/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Illinois Governor Primary Election Results
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-illinois-governor-primary.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Illinois U.S. Senate primary election results 2026
https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/results/2026/03/17/illinois-senate-primary-election-results/
— Illinois governor primary election results 2026
https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/results/2026/03/17/illinois-governor-primary-election-results/

USA TODAY
— What Election Day in Illinois could forecast in America in 2026
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/03/17/illinois-election-results-america/89198335007/

NEW YORKER
— Illinois Primary Map: Live Election Results
https://www.newyorker.com/news/election-2026/illinois-primary-map-live-election-results

Author: David Diersen

The opinions that I express in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails are based on experience that I have gained doing many things since 1948. I base my opinions on what I learned a) working for the federal government for almost 30 years -- Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997, serving on the Executive Committee of the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter 1983-1996, and being a union member while I worked for the Post Office and IRS; b) earning an MBA from Loyola in 1976, a masters degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and a masters degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; c) passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passing the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; c) serving as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999, the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois Chairman 2005-2012, a member of the 2008 Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Platform and Resolutions Committee, a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, the Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004; d) attending the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 IRP State Conventions as a delegate; e) being the subject of a nasty 4-page article in the February 1978 issue of Money Magazine; f) pursing litigation including Diersen v. GAO and Diersen v. Chicago Car Exchange; g) being married since 1978; h) living in Crete 1948-1972, in University Park 1972-1976, in Chicago 1976-1978, and in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 1978; and i) being baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran.