What to know about the March 17 primary for Illinois comptroller
Margaret Croke, Stephanie Kifowit, Holly Kim and Karina Villa are the Democrats vying to replace outgoing incumbent Susana Mendoza as the state comptroller.
What does the Illinois comptroller do?
The Illinois comptroller is the state’s chief financial officer. The office manages the state’s fiscal accounts, records all transactions, pays bills and reviews all expenditures and contracts. The comptroller also chairs the State Employees’ Retirement System Board and sits on the Illinois State Board of Investment, helping manage pensions for state employees. The comptroller also issues financial reports about the state’s fiscal affairs. In addition to managing the state’s finances, the office regulates cemeteries and handles the fiduciary protection of cemetery funds meant for the maintenance of grave sites in Illinois.
Who is the current comptroller?
Susana Mendoza won a special election for comptroller in 2016 to serve the final two years of the late Judy Baar Topinka’s term. Mendoza earned reelection bids in 2018 and 2022. She is the highest-ranking Latina elected official in Illinois. Mendoza, 53, previously served as the Chicago city clerk and as a state representative, and she unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Chicago in 2019. She announced last summer she would not seek reelection as she considered her “next biggest challenge.”
Who are the candidates?
Three of the four candidates in the Democratic primary are state legislators: Rep. Margaret Croke of Chicago, Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego, and Sen. Karina Villa of West Chicago. The fourth is Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim. Bryan Drew, an attorney from downstate Benton, is the lone candidate for comptroller in the Republican primary. None of the candidates received an endorsement from Mendoza.
Croke and Kifowit are more moderate Democrats. Croke boasts endorsements from House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and 30 other House Democrats, while Kifowit is backed by multiple labor unions, veterans groups, a few House Democrats and many suburban elected officials.
Kim possesses a progressive vision but has earned votes in historically conservative areas of Lake County. She has endorsements from U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, numerous local elected officials from across the state and several unions.
Villa is a progressive who has been a strong advocate for immigrants, as well as for affordable housing and lower healthcare costs. She carries endorsements from U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, outgoing U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon.