Category Archives: Homepage
'More listening and less talking': Darren Bailey insists results will be different in 2nd run for governor
By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Former Republican state legislator Darren Bailey is trying to improve on his 2022 campaign for governor by tak...
Feb 11, 2026 Former Republican nominee for governor Darren Bailey greets supporters at Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on Aug. 18, 2022. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Judge blocks Trump's $10B child care funding freeze that targeted blue states, including Illinois
By NIKOEL HYTREK Capitol News Illinois nhytrek@capitolnewsillinois.com A federal judge on Friday granted a preliminary injunction in the case concerning the Trump administration's freeze on $10 billio...
Feb 10, 2026 Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul speaks about his office’s actions against the Trump administration during a Jan. 20, 2026, news conference marking the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Maggie Dougherty)
Pritzker backs longtime political ally Margaret Croke for comptroller
By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois Bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Gov. JB Pritzker is supporting Rep. Margaret Croke for comptroller in the Democratic primary. Croke has been a...
Feb 10, 2026 Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, presents a bill in the Illinois House on April 18, 2024. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Even though marijuana is legal in Illinois, clearing old criminal records still a challenge
By: KAITLIN BENDER-THOMAS Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary: Illinois residents can face long delays in clearing their marijuana-related records even after judge...
Feb 10, 2026 The photo shows a close-up of marijuana buds before they leaf out. (Capitol News Illinois/Andrew Campbell)
Taxpayers could be on the hook for millions in cleanup costs from oil and gas wells
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary A new report suggests Illinois could be on the hook for plugging and cleaning up thousands of inactive and aband...
Feb 10, 2026 An oil well pumpjack is pictured. (Photo by arcturusangel at Morguefile.com)
Pritzker's new budget report could set tone for conservative 2027 spending plan
By JERRY NOWICKI & BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary The governor's office sought to quantify the cost of federal funding cuts, freezes and policy ch...
Feb 06, 2026
Judge rules to release evidence in Border Patrol shooting of Marimar Martinez
By MAGGIE DOUGHERTY Capitol News Illinois mdougherty@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Marimar Martinez, the Chicago teacher shot five times by Border Patrol agents last fall, was granted permis...
Feb 06, 2026
Conservative policy wonk Ted Dabrowski gets off sidelines with run for governor
By BRENDEN MOORE Capitol News Illinois bmoore@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor candidate Ted Dabrowski argues he is uniquely positioned to unite the fractured Illinois GOP, raise the funds needed to c...
Feb 06, 2026
Illinois attorney general wins state's first civil hate crime lawsuit
By JENNA SCHWEIKERT Capitol News Illinois jschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com Amid a flurry of lawsuits filed in federal court against the Trump administration, Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office w...
Feb 05, 2026
How to vote in Illinois in 2026: Early voting begins this week for most of the state
By JENNA SCHWEIKERT Capitol News Illinois jschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com Capitol News Illinois has launched its revamped 2026 Election Guide to coincide with the opening of early voting throughou...
Feb 04, 2026
