Democratic incumbents face primary competition as party seeks to keep hold on Illinois legislature

Democrats will try to maintain their supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly in this year’s elections, with several incumbents facing challenges in the March 19 primary and big money pouring into some races.

In 2022, Democrats, aided by a newly drawn map of district boundaries, held on to their supermajority in the Senate and built on it in the House, expanding to 78 members, the most for that chamber in modern times. The Democrats have controlled both chambers of the General Assembly since 2003.

This year, all 118 House seats and 23 of 59 Senate seats are on ballots.

Here’s a look at a few of the primary contests that will set the field for the November general election.

3 Democrats challenge Sen. Natalie Toro

In a Senate district on Chicago’s North and Northwest sides that stretches from working-class communities like Belmont Cragin to trendy neighborhoods like Logan Square and a sliver of tony Lincoln Park, a four-way Democratic contest has been notable for the amount of money being raised by candidates — each of whom is striving to prove their progressive credentials.

Leading the way in fundraising is incumbent state Sen. Natalie Toro, who was appointed to the seat last year and has the backing of several state and local Chicago-area Democrats.

At the end of last year, she had a little over $113,400 in her campaign coffers. But since Jan. 1, the Senate Democrats’ campaign operation run by Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park has contributed close to $1.3 million, according to state records. Additionally, five Senate colleagues — Bill Cunningham and Sara Feigenholtz, both of Chicago, Linda Holmes of Aurora,