Illinois Attorney Generals

Attorneys General in Illinois serve as chief legal officers for their respective states and are the chief representatives for legal affairs within those jurisdictions. Their role involves providing advice to government agencies and legislatures while overseeing all legal affairs pertaining to that jurisdiction.

Democratic AG candidates are expected to do well in upcoming elections, although it’s too early to tell for certain.

1. Kwame Raoul

Born to Haitian immigrants in Chicago, Attorney General Raoul brings over 30 years of legal expertise and advocacy experience to his role as people’s champion. He leads a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general in order to advocate for access to quality healthcare and reproductive services for all, conserve natural resources, promote fair immigration policies and decrease gun violence.

As Illinois Attorney General, he introduced legislation to reduce long-term effects of violent crime and support survivors, led a groundbreaking task force against Organized Retail Crime networks, protected children from online predators, ensured professionalism, accountability and transparency among law enforcement officers, safeguarded Illinois consumers by overseeing thousands of consumer fraud complaints that saved residents millions each year through litigation and mediation, as well as held industries responsible for opioid sales, e-cigarette use and environmental pollution to account.

Attorney General Raoul began his legal career at the Cook County State’s Attorney Office before becoming a partner at two national corporate law firms. A graduate of DePaul University and Chicago-Kent College of Law, Attorney General Raoul is committed to public service.

2. Tom DeVore

Illinois sits in the center of America’s industrial and agricultural heartland, earning itself the nickname of a swing state. Chicago serves as a global financial center while O’Hare International Airport ranks amongst the busiest in the world; yet this state also contains significant pockets of poverty.

DeVore was unsuccessful in his 2022 bid for attorney general, and will have his law license suspended for 60 days by the state bar association following a disciplinary ruling against him for having sexual relations with a married Springfield salon owner who also was his client.

The office of the attorney general safeguards Illinois residents’ rights and interests, such as consumer fraud protection, senior financial exploitation and veterans issues. It also works to keep children safe from sexual predators while supporting after-school programs to keep them active. Furthermore, its Antitrust Bureau investigates mergers that might harm consumers or state interests while its Complex Multi-County Case Unit handles complex litigation cases across multiple counties.

3. Jesse Jennings

While election media attention has focused on governor, senator and House seats, November 6 will see 30 attorney general (AG) races be determined across the United States. AG offices often play an influential role when prosecuting high-profile criminal cases or standing up for voters’ rights.

Civil Rights Bureau – This division enforces various civil rights laws, and has brought some of the largest fair lending settlements ever seen in history. Furthermore, they oversee investigations for racial profiling and sexual harassment by Chicago Police Department.

Democratic Attorney General Kathleen Rice holds an edge in her race due to demographic trends in her state and rising national interest in gun safety issues. But her GOP challenger Matthew DePerno has expressed conspiracy theories about voter fraud while being endorsed by President Donald Trump – making this close race unpredictable and unpredictable.

4. Jim Edgar

Illinois attorney general’s office not only handles civil and criminal litigation, but it is also involved with various policy initiatives. Their policy division works on legislation, staffs committees and task forces, interacts with local, state and federal agencies as well as conducting outreach and developing training programs.

Edgar distinguished himself from George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich by keeping away from corruption in Chicago politics, instead focusing on issues pertaining to neglected children, education reform, and Chicago school closure. Edgar even managed to resolve an expensive budget impasse between himself and Democratic Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley over Meigs Field on Chicago’s lakefront, which Edgar wanted open.

Edgar was known for his moderation and bipartisanship during his two terms as Republican governor during the 1990s. He collaborated with Democrats on creating budgets with no surprises for schools while supporting abortion rights and increasing spending despite an inherited deficit. Polite and austere at once, Edgar credited Brenda Edgar with helping him overcome the challenges that came his way during his political career.