The New Trier Democrats endorsed state Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) for governor at their Sunday meeting, according to an announcement on their website.

This is a significant endorsement for Biss, as Democratic candidate J.B. Pritzker (School of Law ’93) has received backing from the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Cook County Democratic Party and the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association.

The New Trier Democrats are an organization of grassroots volunteers from the New Trier Township area, such as Wilmette, Winnetka, Kenilworth and parts of Northfield and Glenview. According to their website, they field hundreds of volunteers to campaign for their chosen candidates each election cycle.

To be eligible to vote, members need to be 18 or older, part of the organization and a resident of the township.

On Sunday, members voted on the group’s endorsements for the March Democratic primaries. Biss spoke at the meeting, as did candidates or their representatives from other contested Illinois races.

Biss received more than 60 percent of the vote — the necessary proportion to earn the group’s endorsement — of the members present. He previously won backing from U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) and former lieutenant governor Sheila Simon as well as the Champaign County Young Democrats and the Northside Democracy for America.

The group also endorsed incumbents Toni Preckwinkle for Cook County president and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) for the U.S. House of Representatives. The members failed to endorse one of the eight Democratic candidates for Illinois Attorney General as no contender received 60 percent of the vote.

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