CITY BEAT: WHAT CAN VOTERS EXPECT ON THE PRIMARY ELECTION BALLOT?

      As we get closer to the March 17th General Primary Election (some information is printed on pages 7 and 13 of the print and online editions) I can’t help but notice the most frequently mentioned candidate that is on both the Republican and Democrat specimen ballots is “No Candidate”.
     While a lot of the “No Candidate” listings are for “Precinct Committeeperson” or for county and state offices where there is a strong incumbent running for re-election and there isn’t anyone in the opposing party willing to challenge him or her.
     There are several candidates on both party ballots for the United States Senator position in the race to decide who is going to replace Sen. Dick Durbin who is retiring.
     The Democrats have ten candidates for that office and the Republicans have six.
     That’s 16 candidates running for a single office! After the primary election only one candidate from each party will move on to the main event in November to decide which one of the two will replace Senator Durbin.
     Obviously, it is a highly-desired office to win for candidates in both parties.
     The Republicans have five candidates running for governor while the Democrats have one — present Governor J. B. Pritzker, who wants another term in office.
     There are plenty of Democrat candidates for Comptroller (4) and one Republican candidate for the position and all the other state level positions with Democrat officeholders running for re-election don’t show any signs of interest in Republicans challenging them.
     Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, who represents a big part of Decatur and Macon County in the 13th Congressional District, is being challenged in her primary by Dyan Blaha. I don’t see her losing that race, but when she moves on to the November Election she will face either Jeff Wilson or Joshua Loyd — depending on which one wins the Republican Primary race.
     Congresswoman Mary Miller, who represents the 15th Congressional District, which includes part of Decatur and Macon County, has two opponents in the Republican Primary — Judy Bowlby and Ryan D. Tebrugge. There are four candidates in the Democrat Primary in the 15th Congressional District —Jennifer Todd, Randy Raley, Paul Davis and Kyle Nudo.
     I live in Congresswoman Miller’s District and received a 4-page campaign letter from her mostly about helping her get re-elected and how awful a governor J. B. Pritzker is for Illinois.
     The letter stated: “Please rush back the enclosed Last Line of Defense Urgent Reply so I can remain the last roadblock between you and J. B. Pritzker’s corruption and fraud.”
     There is also a request for a campaign donation so she can stop Pritzker from setting up a run for President in 2028.
     “As long as I serve you in Congress, I will do everything I can to stop him.”
     I don’t believe Congresswoman Mary Miller’s role in serving our district is about stopping Governor Pritzker from moving forward with his Presidential ambitions — but that’s just my opinion of what those who represent us in the nation’s capitol should be focused on.
     Since she is one of President Trump’s most devoted members of Congress, her future in office probably depends on how well voters are viewing Trump’s presidency — especially when the November election rolls around.

     • REPUBLICAN Regan Deering is running unopposed in the Eighty-Eighth District and there is also no Democrat who filed to run against her.
She has to be one of the hardest working state representatives we’ve had in the district.
     She is everywhere in her district, maintaining interest in her constituents and the issues affecting them.
     With no opposition she has essentially won re-election but she continues to work hard as if she had plenty of opponents.
     I appreciate her commitment and energy.
     There is not going to be much change in about all of the state representative and state senator positions which represent Decatur and Macon County — as we move through the Primary Election and into the General Election in November.

     • COUNTY-WIDE there are only two of the major Macon County offices that are competitive — because the incumbents in the other offices have no challengers.
     Republican Sheriff Jim Root has a strong edge for re-election — especially since his opponent, Republican Shane Beck, has to run a write-in campaign after being eliminated from having his name on the ballot due to a technical error in filing.
     It is hard enough to beat an incumbent who is well-known with a public reputation of doing a good job, when your name is on the ballot — and even more difficult to beat an incumbent with strong support when you have to wage a write-in campaign.
     It is not impossible, but very difficult to win with a write-in campaign for this office.
     However, Beck is apparently taking his write-in campaign seriously because I see his candidacy being advertised around the community.
     Apparently, he is working much harder at attracting votes than most write-in candidates I’ve seen in the past.

     • THE MAJOR COUNTY office race that will receive the most attention is the race for Macon County Clerk.
     Republican Josh Tanner is not running for re-election.
     Kurt Younghouse and Marsha Webb are facing off in the Republican Primary Election. The winner will face Democrat Bryan E. Smith, who is unopposed in the March Primary.
     One Macon County Board race that is particularly interesting is in District Two where former Decatur City Councilman and State Representative Dan Caulkins is running unopposed in the Republican Primary.
     Dan was on the city council some of the years when I was mayor.

     • I’VE JUST touched on some of the races that will be getting the most attention between now and the election. Although there is a generous number of “No Candidate” listings on the ballots, there are a lot of candidates with names you will recognize among the many listed.
     The specimen ballots for the upcoming March 17, 2026 General Primary      Election are now available on the Macon County Clerk’s website, www.maconcounty.illinois.gov.
     Also, we will be printing the specimen ballots in this newspaper as we get closer to the election.
     I know many of you mark up those ballots with your choices before you head out to cast your vote.
     Early voting starts tomorrow (Feb. 5) and there is a schedule of dates and times for early voting on page 13 of this edition.
     I early vote — but not too early. Usually I vote about a week before the election.

     • BRIAN BYERS and I discuss the news impacting our community every Thursday morning at 7:00 on WSOY’s Byers & Co.

* * * *

FOR MORE stories and more “City Beat” and editorial comments, SUBSCRIBE to the print or online editions of the Decatur Tribune by using the “Subscribe” prompt at the top of this page.  You will find many stories and columns about Decatur and Central Illinois each week. The print edition is $50 for 52 issues (one year) and the online edition is $30 for one year.  The combo rate (both print and online editions) is $65 per year.  You can also subscribe to the print edition via USPS by sending $50 to: Decatur Tribune, P. O. Box 1490, Decatur, Illinois 62525-1490.