(CAPITOL CITY NOW) – For the first and only time this campaign season, Gov. JB Pritzker (pictured, left) and his Republican challenger, former state lawmaker Darren Bailey (pictured, right), were in a television studio at the same time. The two major-party candidates for governor debated on Chicago’s PBS affiliate, WTTW.

Spending priorities are one area in which the two differ. Bailey, pointing out the state budget has almost doubled in Pritzker’s two terms in office, said, “What I hope is that no longer will we be spending $3 billion on people who are here illegally, giving them free shelter and free insurance and free housing at the expense of our veterans and our senior citizens. No longer will we be giving $200 million grants to JB Pritzker’s personal Hyatt at McCormick Place.” Bailey has proposed an Illinois version of DOGE, the federal Department of Government Efficiency.

“I’ve tried to keep, and have kept, discretionary spending below the inflation rate,” said Pritzker, seeking a third term. “What I think Darren Bailey doesn’t understand is that we have pension obligations. I have been doing everything I can to bring down the pension liability. The pension funded ratio in the state of Illinois when I took office was just below 40 percent. We’ve now raised the pension funded ratio almost to 50 percent. Now, we have a long way to go.”

Bailey said Pritzker’s only solution is to spend more money. Pritzker said Bailey is a Donald Trump acolyte who doesn’t understand the real issues.

Independent candidate Collin Corbett was not invited to participate but afterward said in an emailed statement: “With such a weak candidate in Darren Bailey sitting across from JB Pritzker in tonight’s forum, there was no one there to hold him accountable for his failures and lies. The truth: Illinois is significantly less affordable for working families today than it was when JB Pritzker took office. Our property taxes are the highest in the country, while our health care, energy, gas, and housing prices are skyrocketing. And all JB Pritzker does is blame Washington, while there are things we could do right now that could lower the cost of living for Illinoisans.”

Election Day is Nov. 3.