Diane Harris, a Joliet Junior College trustee, is running for the Republican nomination in Illinois. She won the primary in downstate Illinois, while her opponent, Walter Adamczyk, won throughout the Chicago region. Harris has been a perennial candidate since her election to the JJC board in 2023. The Republican party's inability to put a recognized name on the ballot for secretary of state, a highly sought state office, may be a reflection of the dominance Democrats now have in the state. The Democratic candidate, Alexi Giannoulias, is currently unopposed.