Incumbent Justice Joy Cunningham is in prime position to secure a full 10-year term on the Illinois Supreme Court after defeating Appellate Court Judge Jesse Reyes, the Associated Press projects.
Cunningham was selected to replace former Chief Justice Anne Burke in the 2022 election cycle. She earned a law degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago, and previously served as a judicial clerk and a general counsel for Northwestern Memorial System.
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She was later elected as a Circuit Court judge in Cook County prior to her ascent to the state’s Supreme Court.
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Cunningham had to face a primary challenge in order to win a 10-year term on the bench, and she was able to fend off a push from Reyes, who represents Illinois’ 1st district appellate court.
Reyes also graduated from John Marshall Law School, and made a name for himself in the Chicago Board of Education’s Law Department.
He also served the city of Chicago in the Corporation Counsel’s office, and was rated as “highly qualified” by the Illinois State Bar Association.
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Cunningham’s victory over Reyes will likely pave the way to a full 10-year term, as no Republicans were om the March 19 primary ballot for the position.
Currently, Illinois’ Supreme Court is made up of five Democratic justices and two Republicans. Cook County is allocated three justices, while four other districts represent the other portions of the state.
Justice Lisa Holder White is running for a full term in the 4th district, and ran unopposed in the primary. She is also expected to earn a 10-year term on the court in the November election.
Barring a vacancy, the next Supreme Court election in Illinois won’t take place until 2030, when 1st district Justice P. Scott Neville Jr. and 5th district Justice David Overstreet would be up for retention votes.
