Totaling the unsustainable tax increases and windfall revenue during Pritzker Administration – Wirepoints
May 26, 2026
23 Comments
With $162 billion more from taxpayers, couldn’t you deliver a few bond upgrades, too
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A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
The election was a huge disappointment, but not a surprise. This is probably the worst Republican candidate for Governor in the last hundred years or more. If Illinois will ever bounce back, it will take a tsunami of bad news to get voters to wake up and we are not there yet for the next few years. And just think about our representation in the US Senate now. If we are not yet the biggest laughingstock in DC, we will be in January.
Republican candidate quality does not matter one iota. None of them could win. They were all underfunded, undersupported and outflanked in the GOTV. JB Pritzker spent $30,000,000 on Juliana’s GOTV drive. This was Raja’s race to lose. There’s no legitimate reason he should have lost. But he did. He wasn’t going to give up his safe house seat to lose and go to K street. What do you think “GOTV” really means? It means harvesting ballots, paying people on the street to vote, election judges in low turnout area with 95%+ Democrat voters adding hundreds of votes here, hundreds of… Read more »
I wonder if Ted will move to Florida like so many other people from Illinois.
Ted has no plans yet, to my knowledge, but I doubt it would be that for the usual reasons. He will have many opportunities.
He would have many more opportunities (as does anyone) in any other state than Illinois. Get away from being enslaved by high and higher taxes to support the never-ending greed of the public sector unions.
I live in Chicago and usually pull a Democratic ballot in primaries because, in Cook County, the primary is effectively the general election. This year, I selected a Republican ballot to vote for Dabrowski but I’m not sure how many right-of-center people in Cook County (and yes, they do exist) are willing to do that. So it’s in part that those in Cook County have to pick their battles and most pick the opportunity to select the least objectionable Democrat over the most appealing general election candidate.
I did the same thing
IL is unfixable – no trends will change. Expect more of the same for years to come. Leave, or do like Bailey and Heidner and join the Combine and fight over crumbs. I’ve seen many ‘republicans’ do this who do not want to move. They compromised themselves to stay in IL. Just sad.
I do not understand why Illinois people still believe that things will change. In a year or two, some idiot will be telling everyone how things will be different in the next election cycle. And there will be morons who believe it. What part of “Its over” don’t you get? The democrats destroyed the state and the city while you morons got drunk, watched the bears and talked about what a beautiful city Chicago is. The people with brains and wealth have already left. The only people remaining there are the leeches and the losers. Any one with half a… Read more »
The only people here saying IL is fixable is WP. The public union shills that post here don’t care as long as they continue to get theirs, and then some. Everyone else here is pretty much preparing to move out, or stay and knuckle under to eating a Democrat crap sandwich for the rest of their life. I’ve said for years IL is unfixable. I agree with your comment on the brain dead in Chicago – they are so brain dead they are proud of it.
Not really fair to say we think IL is “fixable.” I’ve written many, many times that it will have to get much worse before the state wakes up and fixes anything. Pending that, it’s about disaster mitigation — trying to get some reforms passed that at least would spare some of the innocent, such as school choice.
How do you get much worse? Highest taxes, highest unfunded pensions, cops that do not show up if you call, schools that do not teach, roads that are fair to terrible at best. I forgot, crime that is high, a dying downtown, public transportation that no one wants to ride, citizens fleeing to other states at record numbers, businesses leaving. A government that taxes everything they can think of. A city and state run by the public sector unions who only want more and more money. What can more go wrong?
Throughout life your cup is either half-full or half empty. Only you can decide. Which type of people lead happier and probably healthier lives on average? Nobody surrounding themselves with gloom and doom prospers psychologically.
So why are you here (at Wirepoints)? And why (if) you are in Illinois?
I come to WP to try and counteract Pritzker’s and IL Democrats and their minions the public unions gaslighting. To whit, the ink hadn’t dried on the rigged primary election and Pritzker has a new ad out talking about how he cut taxes and balanced the budget. Sadly, the legacy media does nothing other than parrot Pritzkers press releases. I don’t come to WP to discuss how IL will be turning around – those days passed some time back.
Why won’t the RNC back qualified candidates? They need to spend money in IL. Just Trumps criticism of JB not enough to save IL. Expose all the IL fraud.
What part of Illinois is hopeless don’t you get? What do you think will change and where do you see even a glimmer of evidence for that?
With the same result, alas
The other 3 need to get together and work w Bailey w their platforms and support!!
Illinois will never change short of a complete disaster. You either stay and live with it or you leave. Those are your only choices. The rest is just bitching.
I don’t think he will have any real support. Bailey chose to hide out in Southern Illinois and avoid the Chicago area during his campaign. He will have even less support than 2022 and I would expect him to lose by an even larger margin.
time to leave Pritzker or Bailey the state remains in the crapper
Ted’s loss proved my point that misinformation of the public is so deep that a political campaign cannot overcome it. Most people who might have voted for Ted did not vote because they had already lost hope. They believe the system is so corrupt that it is not even worth trying. The sad part of my conclusion is that the hard work done by the Wirepoint team does not suffice to change that.
Are Republican voters actually that stupid or is Bailey just a Pritzker puppet? My money is on the latter.
Pritzker got his sacrificial lamb. And as usual, you all lost. Getting tired of it yet?
I don’t think Republicans are tired of it yet. They seem to love selecting candidates that have zero chance winning in the general election. This way they get to complain about Pritzker for another 4 years. It’s one of their greatest hobbies.
Illinois does not have a Republican party. It has some fringe opposition people who run under a Republican banner. The Illinois Republicans can be likened to the team that used to play the Harlem Globetrotters. Never scripted to win and never did win and never will win. The Illinois democrat party is an organized crime syndicate with a built in lackey to make it look good for the mopes that think it’s all on the up and up. When the vast majority of your populous is “educated” in Illinois public schools, what do you realistically expect. It’s the perfect petri… Read more »
All Republicans have zero chances of winning in the general election. It doesn’t matter if they are RINOs or MAGA or actual Democrats running with a Republican name.
When was the last time Texas had a Democrat Governor? How about Indiana? We live in the era of extreme polarization and one party politics. There’s a few swing states and even they are disappearing.
I’m getting very tired of your nonsense blaming Republican’s losses on being too Republican when the most MAGA Republican, Trump, in two generations, shifted the state 8 points to the right in a general election.
Over 1,000,000 Democrats in Illinois voted in yesterday’s primary. Yet only 550,000 Republicans voted. Bailey received 300,000 votes, which is 150,000 less than he received in 2022, when over 750,000 Republicans voted in the primary.
I know the race isn’t over until it’s over, but folks, it’s almost over. There are red flags flying everywhere for the general, there’s no enthusiasm on our side, it’s over.
I need a show of hands. Who here still expects Illinois voters to wake up and start voting differently?
Blame the voters for somehow thinking the guy who got smoked last time is going to do better this time. There is no reason to think Bailey has any better chance this time. Much appreciation and respect for Ted, who would have eviscerated Pritzker in any debate and in media messaging. Pritzker can play rope a dope again.
Will JB increase the state budget 20% this term like he has for the last 2 terms.
3 Billion to illegals and state budget in the hole for 2.2 billion and growing by the minute.
Thank you Democrat retards
Don’t forget to thank the Republican primary voters that thought Bailey was the best chance to win in November. Those Democrat “retards” at least keep winning. What does that say about the republican voting base?
Mark, why are commenters free to throw around the r-word? As a parent of a special needs child, I’d like to believe this website’s pro-family stance includes families like mine.
I hear you John, but we lean strongly against being word police or censors here, so I am reluctant to censor them. I have a nephew like your child, too, so I often cringe at that and some of the other language you see here.
Interesting place to draw the line, Mr. Glennon. I have seen you make reference elsewhere to removing comments that used slurs or other derogatory terms and phrases towards races, ethnic groups, or religions, and so I am curious why you allow safe passage to this particular pejorative.
Love the site. Tough break the other day but we fight on.
The point of the term is not to purposely smear them, as opposed to other slurs.
Record low turnout in CI – people aren’t going to bother with rigged elections. Pretty certain my vote was canceled by a public union street Orc or illegal alien. Bailey is a ‘tool’.
Afraid the outcome is going to be the same as it was the last time.
Pritzker is laughing largely
Primary Election Results Breakdown (2026)
With nearly all votes counted, Bailey maintained a lead of approximately 25 percentage points over his closest rival.
Candidate Percentage Votes (Approx.)
Darren Bailey~53.5%298,844
Ted Dabrowski~28.8%161,087
James Mendrick~9.6%53,412
Rick Heidner~8.1%45,255
I believe that Mendrick and particularly Heidner were plants designed to split the anti Bailey vote. A similar situation happened in my local where an alderman was instrumental in placing a low income multi family development in his area. Come election time all of a sudden two opposing aldermanic candidates popped up on the ballot who did absolutely nothing campaign wise. However the anti incumbent vote was neatly split so that the incumbent retained his seat. Remember this is Illinois politics combined with the intelligence level of the Illinois electorate and in this situation amounts to a victory for Pritzker.… Read more »
I’m not sure your theory about Mendrick and Heidner being plants to split the vote is correct, but even if it is, Ted still loses by 7 points,
Plus that assumes 100% of those votes would have gone to Ted and zero to Bailey. Highly unlikely. In a 4 person race, Bailey received over 50% of the vote. The Republicans own picking this soon to be two time loser. They will get exactly what they voted for.
Ted gave it a good run and i applaud anyone trying to make positive change, though it seems all but certain now that JB will be re-elected for a 3rd term in Nov.
What makes Bailey think he will do any better this time? Ego ahead of state priorities. How many Republican voters have left IL since his last run? How many are even going to bother to vote for a sure loser?
Bailey not only offered Pritzker the Governorship but also gave Pritzker the platform to spread his vile rhetoric for his Presidential run. Pritzker wasted no time with this uttering “Illinois Republicans are …a destructive alliance of cowardly doomed grifters who embrace ruin” and then quickly went to the “women’s right to choose” abortion issue. Thank’s Bailey for giving Pritzker the bully pulpit he desired and don’t count on my vote come this November because your bad judgement to run gave it all to Pritzker for his Governorship as well as his Presidential run.
in a way he is correct though. bowing at the maga/trump alter and refusing to hold him accountable will prove to be a tremendous detriment to the GOP in future elections
Ok, Mondami. How are those free transit rides and housing working out?
Couldn’t have put it better myself. This entire midterm race disgusts me.
Sure he can’t win but at least he’s not a RINO. Republicans would rather lose in the general election and then complain for another 4 years about how bad Pritzker is than have someone that doesn’t believe in every extreme idea but could actually make a positive fiscal change to the state. I mean, they have F JB yard signs already so that’s all they need to be happy. Pritzker will be happy to continue raising taxes and you have your yard signs. Everyone wins.
I don’t know where you live, but here in the suburbs we don’t have signs like those. Trump has depressed the vote. Dabrowski didn’t have enough money, and his team weren’t knocking on doors in Lake County. Pritzker will beat Bailey worse than last time. Then JBP runs for Prez and doesn’t get to double digits in the primary. My last kid graduated in the spring, 3 to 5 years left here depending on how long I can stomach the environment, and after 30+ years of voting in every single Illinois election I am done. The GOP is finished here.… Read more »
Trump hasn’t depressed the vote. Trump NOT being on the ballot depresses the vote. Trump shifted the state 8 points to the Republicans last election a feat thought nearly impossible. We still lost of course but know we understand why the state schedules local municipal elections on cold March days a dozen or so weeks after the general election. Because local elected Democrats throughout the state would be wiped out if they had to run with Trump or any other Republican on the ballot.
And they also have plenty of “Pritzker Sucks” downstate in their front lawns so they won’t have to spend one penny on a new sign. I should adds one thing for sure the big time 100% no abortion even in cases of rape or incest sure got their vote in assuring 100% abortions on demand all the time but, in the case of a lot of Illinois voters, they are not smart enough to see that.
It doesn’t matter, PPF, it doesn’t really matter who the Republican candidate is. It doesn’t matter if they are a RINO, MAGA, establishment, libertarian, or a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Texas is the same way in the other direction. Texas Democrats put up liberals, progressives, establishment types, Jasmine Crockett, all different kinds of Democrats. None of them win. Because they are outnumbered by Republicans.