Illinois election coverage: All our candidate and issue interviews ahead of the 2026 midterms

Produced by Christine Hatfield, Harrison Malkin, Jose Zepeda and Brian Mackey
 
the ornate pillars and dome of the U.S. Capitol Building glow white and amber as they are illuminated against an indigo night sky

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The upcoming elections will have Illinoisans voting to elect the governor, other statewide officers, most members of the General Assembly, and our state's 17 representatives in Congress.

Meanwhile, the decision by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin not to seek reelection has created a once-in-a-generation opportunity to be our state's junior senator.

Here at The 21st Show, we committed to offering a full-show interview to every candidate for governor, U.S. Senate, and as many downstate Congressional candidates as time allowed. This held regardless of their party affiliation, their standing in the polls, and their campaign fundraising.

Below is a list of our candidate interviews, as well as some other election-related conversations that may be of interest.

Early voting runs now through Election Day, which is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. You can register to vote or find your polling place through the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Election night coverage

The 21st Show host Brian Mackey will be anchoring Illinois-focused hourly updates during NPR's live coverage of the midterm elections. That will be at 7:15, 8:15, 9:15 and 10:15 p.m. CT on WILL-AM 580 and most other stations that carry The 21st Show. We'll also be hosting a livestream with realtime returns and analysis beginning at 8 p.m. CT on the Illinois Public Media YouTube page.

U.S. Senate candidates

U.S. House candidates

Governor candidates

Lieutenant governor candidates

Other election interviews