The Latest: Bennett wins Illinois GOP House primary

CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on primary elections in Illinois (all times local):

12:45 a.m.

Deerfield computer consultant Douglas Bennett has won a three-way GOP primary in Illinois to challenge U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Bennett defeated physician Sapan Shah of Libertyville and Highland Park attorney Jeremy Wynes, who served as a local director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

The Chicago-area 10th District includes wealthy and working-class communities along Lake Michigan and is a classic swing district with a large number of Jewish voters. The territory has often flipped from Democrat to Republican over the years, making it a priority for both parties.

12:20

Seven-term Rep. Dan Lipinski has survived a Democratic primary challenge from a progressive newcomer who argued he was too conservative for the Chicago-area district.

Lipinski on Tuesday defeated small business owner Marie Newman, who had support from progressive and abortion-rights groups and some other Democratic members of Illinois' congressional delegation.

Known as one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress, Lipinski is anti-abortion and voted against President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. He argued he has delivered for the 3rd Congressional District, and criticized Newman and her supporters as a "tea party of the left."

Holocaust denier Arthur Jones was the only candidate in the GOP primary for the heavily Democratic district, which includes parts of Chicago's southwest side and its suburbs.

11:15 p.m.

Betsy Dirksen Londrigan of Springfield, Illinois has won the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis.

Londrigan fought off four competitors to win the chance to deny Davis a fourth term. Davis was unopposed in the GOP primary for the 13th District.

Londrigan says she'll fight to protect affordable health care, inspired by a life-threatening illness that required her son to spend 24 days in a hospital before he recovered.

The Democrats were led in fundraising by Erik Jones, of Edwardsville, a former assistant attorney general. Also on the ballot were Bloomington physician David Gill, Jon Ebel, a University of Illinois religion professor and only military veteran in the race; and teacher Angel Sides of Springfield.

11 p.m.

Former Gov. Pat Quinn has conceded the Democratic primary for Illinois attorney general to state Sen. Kwame Raoul.

The Chicago senator led seven other candidates Tuesday including Quinn. He'll face attorney and former Miss America Erika Harold, who won the GOP primary, in November. The race became an open seat following the surprise announcement Lisa Madigan would not run for a fifth term.

Raoul outspent competitors and received establishment backing from the Cook County Democratic Party. He touted endorsements from teacher and labor unions, saying he'll represent workers and families.

Raoul took over then-Sen. Barack Obama's seat in 2004.

10:30 p.m.

Republican Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner will face Democrat J.B. Pritzker in November in what could be the most expensive governor's race in U.S. history.

Rauner, a wealthy private-equity investor, won the Republican nomination Tuesday over the insurgent candidacy of conservative state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton.

He will try to win a second term against billionaire Pritzker, who won the Democratic primary over five other candidates, including businessman Chris Kennedy and state Sen. Daniel Biss.

Pritzker has already poured nearly $70 million of his own money into the race. Rauner has spent more than $50 million from his own funds.

9:50 p.m.

Voters in the Illinois county that includes Chicago have backed the recreational use of marijuana in a nonbinding referendum.

The question for Cook County voters asked if Illinois should legalize "the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing, and sale of marijuana and marijuana products for recreational use by adults 21 and older."

Although the referendum is advisory only, the vote could help state lawmakers make their case in Springfield for the legalization of marijuana use.

Supporters of legalizing and taxing marijuana for adults contend it could boost revenue for state and local governments, as it has elsewhere. Opponents of legalized marijuana use have raised questions about the social cost and subversion of federal laws.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle supported the referendum.

9:25 p.m.

Attorney and former Miss America Erika Harold has won the Republican primary for Illinois attorney general.

Harold beat out litigation attorney Gary Grasso Tuesday for the nomination. The Urbana lawyer in November will face the winner of the eight-candidate Democratic field.

Harold has GOP establishment backing and has received campaign contributions from Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. Despite those connections, she has positioned herself as a "reform-minded, political outsider" who wants to offer a bipartisan approach to criminal justice reform and other issues.

She also wants to take on what she sees to be a corrupt political machine run by Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat.

9:05 p.m.

Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia has won the Democratic primary in the race to succeed longtime Rep. Luis Gutierrez, who is retiring after 26 years.

Garcia defeated two competitors on Tuesday's ballot. He will face Republican financial adviser and first-time candidate Mark Lorch of Riverside in November.

Garcia led community activist Sol Flores and longtime Chicago police officer Richard Gonzalez in name recognition, endorsements and fundraising. In 2015, he forced incumbent Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel into an unprecedented runoff election.

Key issues in the race were immigration, affordable housing, education and crime. The heavily Hispanic and Democratic district covers Mexican, Puerto Rican and Central American swaths of Chicago and several suburbs.

8:20 p.m.

Billionaire J.B. Pritzker has won the Democratic primary for Illinois governor, setting up a general election that could be the most expensive governor's race in U.S. history.

Pritzker on Tuesday defeated five other candidates, including businessman Chris Kennedy and state Sen. Daniel Biss, to win the nomination. He'll face the winner of the GOP primary between Gov. Bruce Rauner and state Rep. Jeanne Ives in November.

The Chicago businessman and heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune put roughly $70 million into his campaign, spending heavily on advertising and staffing campaign offices across Illinois.

He had support from many in the Democratic establishment who see his wealth as a key to unseating Rauner, a multimillionaire.

3:40 p.m.

Illinois elections officials say the state had more than 437,000 early votes cast before Tuesday's primary election.

Illinois State Board of Elections spokesman Matt Dietrich said Tuesday afternoon that the figure is more than double what the turnout was in the previous non-presidential primary year. Voters in Illinois are choosing Democratic and Republican nominees in what's shaping up to be the most expensive election for governor in U.S. history.

Jim Allen with the Chicago Board of Election says as of Tuesday afternoon turnout was at 21.7 percent. He says hopefully the city can inch toward 30 percent turnout.

In Sangamon County, home to the state capital city of Springfield, the clerk says voting was "smooth and steady" Tuesday morning. Clerk Don Gray says there's been "a nice flow of participation."

1:55 p.m.

Democratic voters in Illinois' 3rd congressional district are deciding whether to continue supporting U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski or back political newcomer Marie Newman.

Lipinski is known as one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress. He's seeking his eighth term.

Newman has the backing of progressive groups and lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. The district includes parts of Chicago's south and west sides and southwestern suburbs.

Beauty shop owner Manuel Hernandez of Berwyn says he's going with Newman. The 46-year-old father says he doesn't think Lipinski "is enough of a Democrat."

Trucking company worker Joe Nowak of Summit says he voted for Lipinski because he's comfortable with him. He says Lipinski has been "a neighborhood figure my whole life."

10:30 a.m.

Illinois voters headed to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in the state's hotly contested Democratic and Republican primaries for governor.

Trucking company worker Joe Nowak of Summit in suburban Chicago says he voted for Democratic billionaire J.B. Pritzker, citing the need for change. He says Pritzker "has been knocking on doors his whole life."

Investment banker Suzanne Riordon from Brookfield says she cast her Democratic primary ballot for state Sen. Daniel Biss, who has touted himself as the middle-class candidate. She says she chose him because "we've gotten away from regular middle-class people being able to be elected."

Republican incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner faces a primary challenge from state Rep. Jeanne Ives. She got a vote from 59-year-old electrical contractor Robert O'Malley in suburban Chicago. He says he chose her because Rauner "went back on some of his promises."

6:15 a.m.

Polls are opening across Illinois in a primary that is being widely watched because of the money being spent in the governor's race.

Among the leading Democrats in Tuesday's primary is billionaire J.B. Pritzker, who has put almost $70 million into his campaign fund already. Democrat Chris Kennedy has about $2 million in his. State Sen. Daniel Biss is campaigning as the "middle-class candidate."

The Democrats are looking to unseat wealthy Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in November. He is being challenged by conservative state Rep. Jeanne Ives.

Illinois State Board of Elections data show the number of voters casting early ballots for the Illinois primary has far exceeded the number who voted early four years ago.

Voters are also choosing nominees for the U.S. House, attorney general and other races.

11:20 p.m.

Illinois voters are choosing nominees in what's shaping up to be the most expensive election for governor in U.S. history.

Two inordinately wealthy front-runners — Republican millionaire Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic billionaire businessman J.B. Pritzker — are trying to survive tough primaries. A self-described "middle class candidate," a member of a famous political family and an insurgent state legislator also are on the primary ballot.

Pritzker has already poured nearly $70 million of his own money into the race. Chasing him are businessman Chris Kennedy — son of the late Sen. Robert Kennedy — and state Sen. Daniel Biss, who touts his middle-class status.

Rauner has spent more than $50 million from his own funds. He has his own GOP challenge from state Rep. Jeanne Ives.