The 2026 Illinois primary is still more than a year away, but a candidate has now thrown their hat in the ring for the gubernatorial race.
DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick announced Thursday that he would not seek another term in office as sheriff, and instead announced that he will mount a challenge to win the Republican nomination in the March 2026 primary.
In his announcement on Facebook, Mendrick blasted the administration of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, saying that it has enacted “soft on crime legislation” and that he would seek to change a variety of laws, including the state’s so-called “Sanctuary” laws.
“My family and I have decided that we want our state back. We don’t like being fearful of crime that is randomly occurring now in our streets, homes and our retail stores due to soft on crime legislation,” he said. “We don’t want to move out of Illinois like so much of our population.”
Mendrick endorsed Undersheriff Eddie Moore to succeed him in his post.
He was first elected sheriff of DuPage County in 2018 after rising through the ranks of the department since joining the force in 1996, according to his campaign website.
He has instituted a number of reforms within the department, including workforce inmate job training programs that have yielded strong results, according to his website.
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As for the current governor, Pritzker has not yet announced whether he will run for a third term, but has repeatedly said he enjoys the work and has positioned himself as a key opposition figure to what he calls overreaches by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Pritzker was considered to be former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 election, and has become a key fundraiser for Democratic campaigns across the country.
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The governor’s standing in the election remains up in the air, leaving some other candidates holding on their decisions. Another key decision will come from Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, who has not yet announced whether he will run for another term in office in the 2026 election.
No other Republicans have announced their intention to run for governor ahead of the 2026 primary.
Former Illinois State Sen. Darren Bailey defeated Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin in the 2022 primary, but was defeated by Pritzker in the general election.
The 2026 Illinois primary will be conducted on March 17, according to the State Board of Elections.
