Lake Forest and Lake Bluff voters will see a three-way race for Illinois lieutenant governor on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot. Republican Aaron Del Mar, a Palatine Township highway commissioner, is running on a joint ticket with gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey.
Del Mar faces two opponents. Democrat Christian L. Mitchell and independent Carolyn Schofield are also certified for the race, according to BallotReady election data.
Del Mar is running as Bailey's running mate on the Republican ticket, according to his campaign's social media accounts.
Candidate information
Party: Republican
Residence: Palatine Township, Cook County
Education: Bachelor's degree in public policy, Indiana University, 2001; MBA, University of Illinois, 2020; high school diploma, Palatine High School, 1996
Current employment: Insurance agent at Country Financial, 2020 to present; CEO of Adrenaline Special Events, 2016 to present; CEO of Chicago Casino & Poker Rentals, 2004 to present, according to BallotReady.
Experience and public service
Del Mar has held elected office and party leadership roles in the Chicago suburbs, according to BallotReady and Illinois Public Media.
- Highway commissioner, Palatine Township (Cook County): 2016 to present
- Chairman, Cook County Republican Party: 2025 to 2026, according to Illinois Public Media; Del Mar also listed service as chairman from 2012 to 2016 on his Facebook page
- Councilmember, District 1, Palatine Village Board: 2009 to 2013
On the issues
Del Mar's reviewed candidate packet contains no policy positions or issue responses. No policy platform from the Bailey-Del Mar campaign appears in available public sources.
Editor's note: The one position recorded in Del Mar's candidate file describes an electoral turnout strategy. Del Mar said the Bailey-Del Mar campaign hopes to receive upward of 33% of the vote in the Chicago area, up from Bailey's 23% in Cook County in 2022, according to Capitol News Illinois. That is a campaign goal, not a governing proposal.
Candidate profiles are based on questionnaire responses, public records and verified reporting. The Lake Forest Journal does not endorse candidates.
