Illinois voters are deciding primaries for six open U.S. House and Senate seats that will spur a new generation of leadership in the state’s heavily Democratic congressional delegation. The retirement of Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin has triggered a competitive campaign to replace him.
The Afternoon WireWinds, blizzards and triple-digit heat put over half of the US in the path of extreme weatherKennedy Center votes to shut down operations for 2 years and names a new presidentDominican WBC loss ends on called strike that appeared low, a week before robot umps arrive in MLBIn win for 'One Battle After Another,' the Oscars meet an anxious momentUS stocks climb to their best day since the Iran war began after oil prices easeOldest known whale recording could unlock mysteries of the oceanOtters enjoy a snow day in Maryland during winter stormStair climbers love their exercise, even when security guards act like they're up to somethingInspired by Picasso, an AP photographer visualizes a blind person ‘seeing’ artMezcal's popularity is booming in the US.
That comes with a growing environmental cost in MexicoJudge blocks US government from slimming down vaccine recommendationsSome people tape their mouths shut at night. Doctors wish they wouldn'tOne Tech Tip: Unspoken group chat rules you're probably ignoring, but shouldn'tIf someone's always late, is it time blindness, or are they just being rude?Thiel brings his Antichrist lectures to the Vatican’s doorstep, and Catholic institutions back awayTeherán dice que EEUU lo atacó desde los Emiratos Árabes Unidos That comes with a growing environmental cost in MexicoJudge blocks US government from slimming down vaccine recommendationsSome people tape their mouths shut at night. Doctors wish they wouldn'tOne Tech Tip: Unspoken group chat rules you're probably ignoring, but shouldn'tIf someone's always late, is it time blindness, or are they just being rude?Thiel brings his Antichrist lectures to the Vatican’s doorstep, and Catholic institutions back awayTeherán dice que EEUU lo atacó desde los Emiratos Árabes UnidosU.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi , center, speaks as U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly , left, and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton , listen to him during U.S. senate Democratic Primary Debate in Chicago, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Patty García speaks during a news conference to announce her candidacy for the fourth district congressional race, Nov. 12, 2025, in Cicero, Ill. Candidates for the Illinois 7th Congressional District seat, from left, Kina Collins, David Ehrlich, Dr. Thomas Fisher, La Shawn K. Ford, Rory Hoskins, Reed Showalter, Anabel Mendoza, Anthony Driver Jr., Jazmin J. Robinson, Richard Boykin, Melissa Conyears-Ervin and Felix Tello attend a public forum at the University of Illinois Chicago Friday, Feb 20, 2026, in Chicago. Democratic candidates for Congress, Kat Abughazaleh, second right, speaks as Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, left, State Sen. Laura Fine, second left, and Paris Schutz, a political correspondent for Fox Chicago, listen to her during the U.S. House 9th District primary debate, in Chicago, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Cook County Commissioner and candidate for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District Donna Miller attends a forum hosted by the Democratic Women of the Southland Region, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Chicago Heights, Ill. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi , center, speaks as U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly , left, and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton , listen to him during U.S. senate Democratic Primary Debate in Chicago, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi , center, speaks as U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly , left, and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton , listen to him during U.S. senate Democratic Primary Debate in Chicago, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Patty García speaks during a news conference to announce her candidacy for the fourth district congressional race, Nov. 12, 2025, in Cicero, Ill. Patty García speaks during a news conference to announce her candidacy for the fourth district congressional race, Nov. 12, 2025, in Cicero, Ill. Candidates for the Illinois 7th Congressional District seat, from left, Kina Collins, David Ehrlich, Dr. Thomas Fisher, La Shawn K. Ford, Rory Hoskins, Reed Showalter, Anabel Mendoza, Anthony Driver Jr., Jazmin J. Robinson, Richard Boykin, Melissa Conyears-Ervin and Felix Tello attend a public forum at the University of Illinois Chicago Friday, Feb 20, 2026, in Chicago. Candidates for the Illinois 7th Congressional District seat, from left, Kina Collins, David Ehrlich, Dr. Thomas Fisher, La Shawn K. Ford, Rory Hoskins, Reed Showalter, Anabel Mendoza, Anthony Driver Jr., Jazmin J. Robinson, Richard Boykin, Melissa Conyears-Ervin and Felix Tello attend a public forum at the University of Illinois Chicago Friday, Feb 20, 2026, in Chicago. Democratic candidates for Congress, Kat Abughazaleh, second right, speaks as Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, left, State Sen. Laura Fine, second left, and Paris Schutz, a political correspondent for Fox Chicago, listen to her during the U.S. House 9th District primary debate, in Chicago, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Democratic candidates for Congress, Kat Abughazaleh, second right, speaks as Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, left, State Sen. Laura Fine, second left, and Paris Schutz, a political correspondent for Fox Chicago, listen to her during the U.S. House 9th District primary debate, in Chicago, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Cook County Commissioner and candidate for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District Donna Miller attends a forum hosted by the Democratic Women of the Southland Region, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Chicago Heights, Ill. Cook County Commissioner and candidate for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District Donna Miller attends a forum hosted by the Democratic Women of the Southland Region, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Chicago Heights, Ill. CHICAGO — Illinois voters are deciding primaries Tuesday for six open U.S. House and Senate seats that will spur a, a Democrat, has triggered a competitive campaign, drawing as candidates two sitting House members and the lieutenant governor, among others. Sharp elbows and furious fundraising have marked the race, which also is a test of thehas led to open seats with crowded contests across the Chicago area. The stakes are high, with most primary winners in the Democratic stronghold expected to win in November.3 top Democrats running to replace Durbin Ten Democrats and six Republicans are running after Durbin, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, announced his retirement after five terms. Three top Democrats have emerged: Chicago-area U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. Krishnamoorthi has dominated fundraising and the airwaves and was the first on television with ads in July. He started 2026 with over $15 million on hand after spending more than $6 million and raising more than $3.5 million in the final three months of last year, according to campaign finance records.By comparison, Stratton started the year with $1 million after raising about the same amount and spending just under $1 million in the last three months of 2025. But last month Pritzker put $5 million in a super PAC largely aimed at helping get her elected. She campaigned on Pritzker’s endorsement and lit into Krishnamoorthi at debates, particularly on the five-term Democrat’s voting record and donations from a contractor tied to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “That is not the example of somebody who’s going to stand up to Donald Trump and fight for all of our communities,” Stratton said during a debate in January. “I want to abolish ICE.” Krishnamoorthi, who has called to dismantle the agency, said he donated the money to immigrant rights groups. He argued that Stratton zeroed in on him because she “didn’t have any policy ideas. She had to attack.” Meanwhile Kelly has taken issue with Pritzker’s involvement, arguing that a sitting governor should not interfere., who died last month. However, an endorsement touted posthumously by Stratton caused a snag as Jackson’s family withdrew it Monday, saying the draft wasn’t meant for public release. Election officials hope to see busy polls after turnout in the 2024 primary was 19%, the lowest in more than five decades. Roosevelt Jones, 67, said his Social Security and public safety were at the forefront as he cast an early ballot for Stratton in Chicago recently.In the Republican primary, six candidates are on the ballot including Don Tracy, former Illinois Republican Party chairman, and attorney Jeannie Evans. Illinois last had a Republican in the Senate a decade ago, when Mark Kirk was defeated by current Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth.Dozens of candidates are running for five open seats in the Chicago area where funding from groups supporting Israel and the cryptocurrency industry have played an outsized role. Ten Democrats and one Republican are running in Kelly’s district, the 2nd, which spans parts of the South Side and suburbs and dips into the central Illinois farmlands. Among the Democrats are former The open seat in Krishnamoorthi’s suburban 8th District has attracted eight Democratic candidates including former U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean and Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison.The 7th District of Rep. Danny Davis, who was first elected in 1996, covers parts of downtown, the West Side and suburbs. Democratic front-runners to replace him include state Rep. La Shawn Ford, City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, developer Jason Friedman and Kina Collins, a community organizer. Two Republicans are running. Rep. Jan Schakowsky is also retiring, after 14 terms, and the primary field for her 9th District seat is the most crowded. Among the 15 Democratic candidates are Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, digital creator Kat Abughazaleh and state Sen. Laura Fine. Four Republicans are running. Another open seat is that of Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who announced he would not seek reelection citing health reasons. The primary is uncontested afterto place his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, who is not related to the congressman, on the ballot before a critical deadline. The move assured that no other Democrat would have time to circulate petitions. Then he withdrew.Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune who is unopposed in his primary, is the first governor to seek a“I will always stand up for the law and the constitution,” he said. “Because that’s what we do in the state of Illinois.” Pritzker has also made digs at Republican candidate Darren Bailey, a former state senator whom he handily defeated in 2022. Bailey, among four Republicans vying for the nomination, says he is doing things differently. For one, he focused more on Chicago voters by choosing running mate Aaron Del Mar, who leads the Republican Party in Cook County.“He’s just another billionaire who has never once felt the pain he’s inflicted,” he said. Also in the Republican primary are Ted Dabrowski, a real estate developer; Rick Heidner, a video gambling magnate; and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick.
J.B. Pritzker Jesse Jackson Jr. Raja Krishnamoorthi Robin Kelly Illinois Jesus Garcia Donald Trump Chicago U.S. Democratic Party Voting 2026 Elections General News Domestic News Melissa Bean United States Senate Melissa Conyears-Ervin United States House Of Representatives Robert Peters Danny Davis Don Tracy U.S. Republican Party Laura Fine James Mendrick Mark Kirk Juliana Stratton Jeannie Evans Tammy Duckworth Aaron Del Mar Daniel Biss Rick Heidner Barack Obama Elections Government And Politics Jason Friedman Kevin Morrison U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement Ted Dabrowski Patty Garcia Donna Miller Darren Bailey U.S. News Janice Schakowsky Politics U.S. News
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