The Latest Breaking News from Michael J Burke

Pritzker gave $500,000 each to the candidates from his campaign fund — and another $500,000 to each from a personal trust fund. Republicans accuse him of skirting limits he himself signed into law. But the Illinois State Board of Elections says the contributions are allowed.

Mary Jane Theis will be the fourth woman to serve as chief justice following the late Justice Mary Ann McMorrow, Justice Rita B. Garman and Justice Anne M. Burke. Burke’s tenure as chief justice ended on Tuesday although she will remain on the bench until Nov. 30.

It wasn’t really possible for Democrats to draw the new state Supreme Court map in a way that would have assured them of winning one of the seats on the November ballot, as would have been their normal tendency. Instead, both seats are in play.

Democrats hold the advantage in two races for open Illinois Supreme Court seats because last year they redrew the court’s boundaries for the first time in 58 years. The two down-ballot elections hold enormous stakes if the court changes hands — potentially impacting abortion, gun control and union…