Illinois’ comptroller manages the state’s checkbook. While the office publishes financial reports and ensures transparency, its core function is paying the bills. This is not an ideological role but a fiduciary one, requiring responsibility, numeracy and integrity. Comptroller Susana Mendoza has performed admirably in this job, particularly in building the state’s rainy day fund and expanding public transparency around Illinois’ finances.
Running in the Democratic primary to replace Mendoza, who is contemplating a potential run for Chicago mayor, is an experienced and knowledgeable field of candidates. They are state Rep. Margaret Croke of Chicago, 34, Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim, 45, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, 54, of Oswego, and state Sen. Karina Villa, 47, of West Chicago.
This race is notable for the political muscle behind the candidates. Croke has earned the backing of Gov. JB Pritzker and the Cook County Democrats, and has the biggest war chest of any candidate in this race. Villa, on the other hand, is a progressive who has the support of state Senate President Don Harmon and U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez. The Chicago Teachers Union also supports Villa, a signal that she is the most progressive option. Kifowit has the backing of labor, too, including United Steelworkers District 7 and others, as well as some of her peers in the legislature. Kim has the support of U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, Evanston Mayor (and current congressional candidate) Daniel Biss and Personal PAC, among others.
Kim expressed admiration for Mendoza’s work and a commitment to preserving a healthy rainy day fund. As a state lawmaker, Kifowit won renown for her brave willingness to stand up against former House Speaker-now-felon Michael Madigan, going so far as to challenge him for speaker in 2020. But we’re concerned that the No. 1 priority she shared with us is adding a new department within the office to enforce the Prevailing Wage Act. We’d like the state’s comptroller to stick to the office’s primary task.
Villa takes Kifowit’s activist approach to an extreme. She shared with us her vision of using “procurement as leverage” by, for example, refusing to pay any vendor that does “business with ICE, DHS or CBP.” We would be hard-pressed to see how a comptroller would even enforce such a policy and believe this goes far beyond what is appropriate in this office. “I refuse to treat this office like a bookkeeper when communities are under attack,” she told us. Unfortunately her, that’s precisely what this office is — a bookkeeper.
Croke shared with us a list of priorities, including modernizing software and improving vendor processes, that shows she understands the scope of the job and the need to run an efficient operation. We have been impressed by her service in the General Assembly — Croke led the charge in 2024 to protect Chicago’s selective-enrollment schools from threats emanating Mayor Brandon Johnson — and at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and believe she would bring the same competence and professionalism to this role, serving as a capable successor to Mendoza during a time of federal funding uncertainty.
Margaret Croke is endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois primary election here.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
