Then-Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Igor Kobzev was appointed acting governor of Irkutsk Oblast in December 2019, replacing first-term Communist incumbent Sergey Levchenko.

[1] Levchenko resigned over poor relations with federal authorities and lack of response to deadly floods in southern Irkutsk Oblast.

[2] Kobzev ran for a full term as an Independent with the support from United Russia[3] and won the election with 60.79% of the vote, defeating Communist State Duma member Mikhail Shchapov by 35 points.

[4] In 2021 Kobzev agreed to lead United Russia for the upcoming Russian legislative election in Irkutsk Oblast,[5] and in November 2021 he officially joined the party.

[10] Sources allege Deripaska could endorse Senator Chernyshev against Kobzev, Chemezov is seen close to Legislative Assembly of Irkutsk Oblast speaker Aleksandr Vedernikov, while major local construction tycoons could lend support to former governor Sergey Levchenko.