Kwame Raoul, the incumbent Illinois attorney general, is seeking a third term in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The Democrat faces Republican Robert W. Fioretti.

Raoul was sworn in as the 42nd attorney general of Illinois in January 2019 and took the oath for a second term on Jan. 9, 2023, according to the attorney general's office biography.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Born: Sept. 30, 1964, in Chicago, according to The HistoryMakers. Raoul says he is the son of Haitian immigrants.
  • Family: Married to Dr. Lisa Moore; four children: Che, Mizan, John and Madison, according to his campaign.
  • Education: High school diploma, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (1982); bachelor's degree in political science, DePaul University (1987); juris doctor, Illinois Institute of Technology (1993).
  • Memberships: Member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and 100 Black Men of Chicago. Founding member of the Haitian American Lawyers Association of Illinois, according to The HistoryMakers.

Experience and public service

Raoul served in the Illinois State Senate from 2004 to 2019, according to BallotReady profile data. Before entering elected office, he worked as a prosecutor at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, according to BallotReady, and as a senior staff attorney at City Colleges of Chicago, according to his campaign. He was a partner at Quarles & Brady LLP from 2012 to 2019, according to BallotReady. He has served as co-chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Coalition, according to his campaign website.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Raoul's own campaign responses.

Criminal justice and public safety: Raoul says he created the state's first Organized Retail Crime Task Force with law enforcement partners to investigate smash-and-grab crimes tied to drug trafficking, human trafficking and other illegal activities. He says the task force has recovered millions of dollars worth of stolen merchandise. He also says he directed an investigation of Illinois Catholic clergy that revealed nearly 2,000 cases of sexual assault against children. As a state senator, Raoul says he sponsored legislation to abolish the death penalty in Illinois. He says he advocates for gun safety reform and has sued to revoke the licenses of gun makers that produce cheap guns used in crimes.

Healthcare: Raoul says he filed lawsuits to hold drug manufacturers accountable for the opioid crisis, citing a $7.4 billion settlement from his lawsuit against Purdue Pharma. He says he is committed to curbing youth vaping and protecting access to gender-affirming care. Raoul describes himself as a cancer survivor and says affordable healthcare access is a personal priority.

Reproductive rights: Raoul says he has led efforts to enact laws expanding access to reproductive healthcare, including emergency and medication abortion, miscarriage management and fertility treatment.

Workers' rights: Raoul says he created a Worker Protection Unit that enforces worker protection laws and leads a statewide task force to prevent wage theft and discrimination. He cites a $25 million settlement with GrubHub following an investigation into alleged deceptive business practices. He says he advocated for raising the minimum wage and is leading a lawsuit to get fired federal employees their jobs back.

Civil rights and voting: Raoul says he is a national leader in the fight to recognize the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution. He says he sent teams of lawyers to monitor Illinois polls during the November 2024 presidential election.

Endorsements

The following endorsements are listed on Raoul's campaign website and BallotReady profile data. Awards are credited to the endorsing organization.

  • Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (Public Official of the Year Award)
  • Planned Parenthood of Illinois (Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • AFL-CIO
  • Personal PAC
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134
  • International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399
  • Chicago Federation of Labour
  • Equality IL
  • Cook County Democrats
  • IUOE Local 150
  • United Hellenic Voters of America
  • St. Clair County Democrats
  • Illinois NOW PAC
  • Illinois Federation of Teachers

Policy positions and biographical claims attributed to the candidate are drawn from his campaign website and questionnaire responses submitted through BallotReady.