Croke Wins Illinois Comptroller Race

Democrat Margaret Croke defeats Republican Bryan Drew to succeed Susana Mendoza as state comptroller.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a neoclassical state capitol dome in navy and cream, with a single red accent, evoking state fiscal leadership. — Democrat Margaret Croke defeated Republican Bryan Drew on Tuesday to win the Illinois comptroller's race, succeeding retiring Susana Mendoza. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Democrat Margaret Croke won the Illinois Comptroller race over Republican Bryan Drew, the Associated Press called the race at 10:58 p.m. on November 4, 2026. Croke received 60.8% of the vote to Drew's 39.2% with 81% of votes counted, and the results will not be official for two weeks.

Why it matters

The comptroller oversees the state's payments and fiscal operations, so the outcome determines who manages how public dollars are disbursed. Susana Mendoza did not seek reelection, leaving the office open and shifting its leadership.

With 81% of votes counted, Croke led Drew 60.8% to 39.2%, according to unofficial tallies the Associated Press used to call the race. The results are not official for two weeks, and the remaining 19% of ballots were not reflected in the reported totals.

The players

Margaret Croke

Margaret Croke is a Chicago Democrat who has represented the Illinois House's 12th District since 2021, chairs the House financial institutions committee, and serves as Democratic state central committee woman for the 5th Congressional District.

Bryan Drew

Bryan Drew is the Republican nominee who ran against Croke, and operates a law firm in southern Illinois that has been in business for 25 years.

Susana Mendoza

Susana Mendoza is the outgoing Illinois Comptroller who chose not to seek reelection and whose enforcement of the Prevailing Wage Act Croke has pledged to continue.

The details

Croke, of Chicago and a Democrat who has represented the 12th District in the Illinois House since 2021, campaigned on modernizing the comptroller's office software. She also proposed a public "Budget to Bill" system showing how public dollars move from appropriation to payment, and promised to continue enforcing the Prevailing Wage Act by withholding payments from employers who underpay workers.

November 4, 2026: The Associated Press called the Comptroller race at 10:58 p.m.
Two weeks after the election: Results become official.

Political Context

Croke's campaign pledge to keep enforcing the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act continues the approach Susana Mendoza used to withhold state payments from employers who underpay workers. Her proposed "Budget to Bill" system would extend that oversight by publicly tracking public dollars from appropriation to payment.

Illinois residents and state vendors will see the new comptroller's policies shape how public payments are processed and whether employers face withheld payments for wage violations. Croke's proposed public tracking of state spending would let taxpayers follow dollars from appropriation to payment.

The takeaway

The comptroller's office touches nearly every state payment, so who holds the post affects both wage enforcement and how transparently public money is tracked. Readers can watch how the proposed "Budget to Bill" system and prevailing wage enforcement develop once Croke takes office.