Illinois Advances Bid to Move Up 2028 Democratic Primary

State aims to become part of early, pre-Super Tuesday nominating process

Jan. 31, 2026 at 4:55pm

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Illinois and 11 other states vying to become an early primary nominating state for the 2028 Democratic presidential campaign have advanced to the next round of the selection process. The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws panel chose to advance all 12 states that applied to be one of up to five states in the early, pre-Super Tuesday window of the primary process.

Why it matters

An early primary date could boost a potential White House bid by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who has sought to increase his national stature by opposing former President Donald Trump. Illinois is also offering to host the 2028 and 2032 Democratic National Conventions, but there are concerns about the federal government's willingness to provide adequate law enforcement support for a 2028 convention in Chicago.

The details

The states will now make in-person presentations to the DNC panel this spring to make the case for their selection, which will be judged on three criteria: rigorousness in testing candidate viability, efficiency in getting state legislature and governor agreement on a new primary date, and fairness in allowing lesser-funded candidates to present their message. Illinois meets the efficiency standard but may struggle with the fairness standard due to its costly Chicago media market.

  • The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting took place on January 31, 2026.
  • The states will make in-person presentations to the panel this spring.

The players

JB Pritzker

The governor of Illinois who has sought to increase his national stature by opposing former President Donald Trump. He has not formally said he is considering a 2028 presidential bid.

Emanuel 'Chris' Welch

The Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, who supported the state's application for an early primary date.

Don Harmon

The President of the Illinois Senate, who also supported the state's application for an early primary date.

Lisa Hernandez

The chair of the Illinois Democratic Party, who announced the state's application and stressed Illinois' diversity as a "cross-section of urban, suburban, and rural America."

Brandon Johnson

The mayor of Chicago, who has raised questions about the federal government's willingness to provide adequate law enforcement support for a 2028 Democratic convention in the city.

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What they’re saying

“Illinois is a cross-section of urban, suburban, and rural America, a national beacon for labor rights, equality, and reproductive justice, and the heart of the Democratic Party in the Midwest.”

— Lisa Hernandez, Chair, Illinois Democratic Party (Chicago Tribune)

“Undoubtedly, Illinois voters will take seriously the task to help select a nominee who will work to push far-right extremists out of power. Whoever emerges from the primary will do so by building a coalition across race, class, gender and geography with the momentum needed to win back the White House.”

— Lisa Hernandez, Chair, Illinois Democratic Party (Chicago Tribune)

What’s next

The states will make in-person presentations to the DNC panel this spring to make their case for selection as one of the early primary states.

The takeaway

The battle for early primary dates in the 2028 Democratic presidential race is heating up, with Illinois positioning itself as a diverse, representative state that could help test the viability of potential nominees. However, the state's costly media market may pose challenges in meeting the DNC's fairness criteria.