Incumbent Illinois Governor Pat Quinn faces a Democrat challenger in the upcoming March 18 primary, while four Republican candidates will try to earn their party’s nomination for the November general election. Here is a look at all six gubernatorial candidates.

Pat Quinn was first sworn in as Governor of Illinois on Jan. 29, 2009 after the impeachment and removal from office of Governor Rod Blagojevich. He went on to win election to a full term in 2010.

He was elected Illinois Lieutenant Governor in 2002, and prior to that had served as state treasurer.

His boyhood was spent in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, then Hinsdale, where he attended Catholic grade school. He attended Fenwick High School in Oak Park and graduated in 1967. Quinn entered Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. He was sports editor of the Georgetown student newspaper and graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1971 with a degree in international economics.

He obtained his law degree from Northwestern University’s School of Law in 1980.

Quinn faces Tio Hardiman, Director for CeaseFire Illinois and Creator of the Violence Interrupter Initiative, who has dedicated his life and career to community organizing for peace and social change.

Hardiman has a master’s degree in inner city studies. He worked for Newark Electronics for over 10 years, Bethel New Life, Chicago Alliance for

Neighborhood Safety, City of Chicago CAPS Program, and UIC/CeaseFire.

During his career, he served as a community organizer, community coordinator, Director of CeaseFire Illinois, fundraiser, grant writer, media spokesperson, and chairman of various boards.

Among the four Republican candidates is Bill Brady, who has served a large portion of Central Illinois in both the Illinois House and Senate. Brady has served as 44th District Senator since May 2002. He served as State Representative for the 88th District from 1993 to 2001.

Winning 98 of the state’s 102 counties, Brady was the 2010 Republican nominee for Governor.

After graduating from Illinois Wesleyan University and with the recession hitting the area hard, Brady joined with his brothers and their father and rebuilt the family company into one of Central Illinois’ largest home construction firms.

State Senator Kirk Dillard graduated from both Western Illinois University and DePaul Law School, and from December 1990 to December 1993, served as chief of staff to former Governor Jim Edgar.

Dillard was a Judge on the Court of Claims from February 1987 to December 1990, and Director of Legislative Affairs for former Governor James Thompson from October 1983 to February 1987.

Bruce Rauner was born and raised in Illinois and worked while he attended Dartmouth College, where he graduated with top honors, and then earned an M.B.A. from Harvard.

Returning to Illinois in 1981, Rauner began working at then startup investment company Golder, Thoma, Cressey (later GTCR). He was chairman of GTCR, where he had worked for more than 30 years until he retired in October 2012.

Rauner was named 2008 Philanthropist of the Year by the Chicago Association of Fundraising Professionals. In 2003, Rauner received the Daley Medal from the Illinois Venture Capital Association for extraordinary support to the Illinois economy and was given the Association for Corporate Growth’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dan Rutherford is the Illinois Treasurer. He served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 53rd district from 2003 to 2011, and in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1993 to 2003.

Rutherford was born in Pontiac and attended Illinois State University. After serving as executive director for the 1980 Reagan-Bush campaign, Rutherford was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives.