Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly challenging Preckwinkle Cook County Board president

A downtown Chicago alderman is seeking to forestall a fifth term for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

Alderman Brendan Reilly on Wednesday announced his candidacy for board president in the March 2026 Democratric primary, billing himself as an independent reformer.

“We can make Cook County safer, we can lower property taxes by growing the local tax base, we can build thousands of new homes to anchor community revival, we can root out the corruption and insider deals that are rotting Cook County government inside out,” Reilly said in a video on social media.

Reilly represents Chicago’s 42nd Ward, which includes the city’s central business district. He has served on the city council since 2007.

The former AT&T public affairs executive takes on a formidable opponent who is also Cook County Democratic Party chair.

“Toni Preckwinkle has always shown up for Cook County residents: expanding health care for countless people and erasing $659 million in medical debt for more than half a million residents, a program that sparked similar efforts nationwide,” a campaign spokesperson said.

“While her opponent lobs sound bites from the sidelines, Toni is in Washington, D.C. right now fighting Trump’s attacks on public service and defending health care as a basic right. That’s real leadership.”

Reilly said he disagrees with Trump “on most policies” and would protect Cook County health care and its social safety net.

“I strongly oppose Trump’s attempt to send troops to cities without first coordinating with local leadership and law enforcement,” added Reilly, who has been a victim of crime, according to reports. “But those who say Chicago doesn’t have a public safety problem are either lying to you or hiding behind an armed security detail.”

Preckwinkle also opposes deploying the National Guard to Chicago.

“Cook County has seen a 35% drop in gun homicides” since 2024, Preckwinkle said on Sept. 2. “There is no emergency in Chicago that warrants federal National Guard deployment. If our residents see soldiers in combat gear patrolling their neighborhoods they’re not going to feel safer, they’re going to feel intimidated.”

The Trump administration should instead restore violence prevention programs and funding, she said.

Reilly worked for the Illinois House Democrats between 1995 and 2001. He has a bachelor’s degree from Hobart College in New York.