Chicago, IL — Today, the Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez is excited to announce combat veteran, bestselling author, former nonprofit CEO, and Democratic Governor of Maryland Wes Moore as the keynote speaker for the Party’s September 10th gala. This year’s marquee event will be hosted in Navy Pier’s Aon Ballroom and is themed United We Stand. The gala will focus on Democratic unity in the face of federal government transgressions, unity across the diverse communities that make up our Party and our state, and a shared goal of moving Illinois forward. Elected officials, donors, party stakeholders, and supporters from across Illinois and the nation will be in attendance.
“Governor Moore is the perfect person for this year’s keynote address. He is a community advocate, a trailblazer and a people-first legislator,” said DPI Chair Lisa Hernandez. “I’m excited to welcome him to Illinois and look forward to rallying over 1000 Democrats less than two months from Election Day.”
“I am thrilled to be coming back to Illinois to fire up Democrats across the state ahead of this year’s crucial election,” said Governor Wes Moore. “It is more important than ever that we send commonsense leaders that challenge the status quo like my friends, Governor JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton back to Springfield and over to Washington to deliver real results on the things that matter most: building up our economy, making our communities safer, strengthening our schools, and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to live a safe, secure middle class life.”
Today’s announcement follows weeks of action through DPI’s coordinated campaign, Organize Illinois 2026, where Democrats have knocked doors, phone-banked and organized voters across Illinois.
Early-bird priced gala tickets are available for purchase now. For more information to secure your tickets please visit: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dpigala2026 or email [email protected].
