Don’t forget — the Illinois primary is coming up in March. And as any Chicagoan can tell you, that’s where the action is.
Federal Races
The Senate Race
Across both parties, 17 (!) candidates are running to replace longtime U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who is retiring after nearly 29 years in the Senate. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th), and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (2nd) are perhaps the most well-known names in the crowded race.
Krishnamoorthi was first elected to the 8th district in 2016. He’s also the biggest fundraiser in the race. Kelly won a special election in 2013 to replace Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. after his sudden resignation amid an investigation into campaign finance fraud. Stratton became Gov. JB Pritzker’s running mate in 2018 and has served as his lieutenant ever since.
On the GOP side, the former state party chair Don Tracy is (somewhat) well-known. He resigned abruptly in 2024, just before the RNC, due to intra-party fighting. Tracy is more of a pre-MAGA Republican.
Congressional Races
Kelly and Krishnamoorthi are stepping down from their current positions as they vie for the Senate.
In the 2nd District, 12 candidates, including 10 Democrats, aim to replace Kelly. Among them:
- Jesse Jackson Jr. who’s angling to reclaim his seat
- Fundraising leader state Sen. Robert Peter
- Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller
In the 8th District, eight Democrats are running to replace Krishnamoorthi. They’ll all debate Jan. 15. Candidates include:
- Former U.S. Rep Melissa Bean, who’s launched a big ad campaign to win back her old seat
- Junaid Ahmed, who’s lost to Krishnamoorthi twice
In the 7th district, 15 candidates are running to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Danny Davis. Among them:
- State Rep. La Shawn Ford, who has Davis’ endorsement
- Community organizer Kina Collins, who finished second to Davis in 2022
- Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears Ervin, who finished second to Davis in 2024
In the 9th district, over 20 total candidates are running to succeed the retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Among the Democrats:
- Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who earned Schakowsky’s endorsement last week
- Influencer Kat Abughazaleh, who’s now fighting a federal indictment over protesting in Broadview
- State Rep Hoan Huynh
- State Sen. Mike Simmons
- Bushra Amiwala, a Skokie school board member who made headlines in 2018 running for the Cook County Board as a student
State and County Races
While no Democrats are challenging Gov. JB Pritzer, former state Rep. Darren Bailey, the party’s 2022 nominee, leads the GOP field with 34% support.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, however, has one major challenger: Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd).
The future of property tax assessments also hangs in the balance. County Assessor Fritz Kaegi is running for reelection — without the support of county Democrats and union leaders, who have endorsed challenger Pat Hynes, a Lyons Township assessor.
There could also be a shakeup on the Cook County Board of Review … and there’s even more primary elections where those came from. Follow along on the podcast and in the newsletter as we gear up to March 17!
