CHICAGO — With Illinois’ March primary for the 2026 midterm elections less than a year away, politicians are lining up to fill the seats being vacated by longtime members of the state’s congressional delegation who are retiring or campaigning for higher office.

The domino effect that began in late April with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s announcement that he wasn’t seeking a sixth term has caused two members of Congress — U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg — to declare their interest in Durbin’s seat. That means their spots in Congress are opening up. In addition, much of the north and northwest suburbs will see their first new members of Congress in nearly three decades as U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky is retiring at the end of her term.

Plus, a fourth seat could open up because the delegation’s longest-serving member — 83-year-old U.S. Rep. Danny Davis — hasn’t said whether he’ll be running for a 16th term. Since 1997, Davis has represented a swath stretching from Chicago’s downtown to the city’s West Side and closer-in western suburbs.

All four districts are held by Democrats, meaning the Democratic primary races will be the key ones to watch. But Republicans will be vying for the seats as well in the hopes of flipping one of the seats and helping the GOP hold onto their razor-thin majority in the House. The primary for both parties will be held on March 17.

Politicians still have time to throw their hats into one of the rings, but here are the top candidates — those who already hold elected office or are among the top fundraisers so far — for the House next year in Illinois.

2nd Congressional District

Stretching from 43rd Street on Chicago’s South Side along the Indiana border south to downstate Danville, Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District has been represented by U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly since 2013. Here are those so far vying to replace Kelly, who is running for Senate and told the Tribune in May that she planned to remain neutral in the congressional race to replace her.

Donna Miller, Democrat

Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller said in late May she’s forming an exploratory committee to help her decide if she should run for the 2nd Congressional District seat.

Miller lives in Lynwood and is in her second term as the 6th District commissioner on the Cook County Board. The exploratory committee is made up of south suburban mayors, the Daily Southtown reported. Miller is also vice president of the Illinois Democratic Women organization, former president of the Democratic Women of the South Suburbs, and past board chair of Planned Parenthood of Illinois and its political action committee.

“I understand the district,” Miller said. “I understand the Southland.”

Robert Peters, Democrat

A South Side native and community organizer, state Sen. Robert Peters of Chicago received an early endorsement from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont after Peters announced his intent to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat. That gave him an early leg up with progressives in the district.

“I have a record and I have a personal narrative that I think really touches on where we’re at right now,” Peters recently told the Tribune. The 40-year-old was born deaf and with a speech impediment, and he was influenced by his adoptive father’s work as a civil rights lawyer.

More recently, Peters led efforts to pass the law ending bail for nonviolent crimes and measures to ensure protections for abortion rights in Illinois after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

A member of the legislature since 2019, Peters is a part of the Senate Democrats’ leadership team and the Legislative Black Caucus.

Yumeka Brown, the three-term village clerk of Matteson and a commissioner on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board, told the Southtown she is a candidate but has not yet filed the paperwork to run.

Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin also formed an exploratory committee to run for Kelly’s seat.

Others who have filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission stating their interest in running for the congressional seat were Democrats Adal Regis, who worked in Kelly’s district office on grants, and Eric France, a management consultant, as well as Republican Ashley Ramos, who was the GOP nominee of the 2nd Congressional District seat in 2024, and Calvin Coleman, who is not affiliated with either major party.

7th Congressional District

Beginning in Chicago’s downtown and heading through the city’s West Side and into the western suburbs, including Oak Park and Hillside, Illinois’ 7th Congressional District has been represented by U.S. Rep. Danny Davis since 1997. As of mid-June, Davis, 83, had not said whether he’s running for reelection while publicly saying he’s considering retirement. Davis has faced Democratic competition in recent years. Here’s the status of those who might run, including the incumbent.

Danny Davis, Democrat

Despite a close primary race in 2022, Davis came back two years later to beat four Democratic challengers and keep his seat for a 15th term last year.

“I know that you can’t lead where you don’t go, and you can’t teach what you don’t know,” Davis told the Tribune before the general election last year.

That sentiment was in line with his playbook in that race: reminding voters of his seniority and connections in the district. So far, it’s kept Davis out of reach of challengers, including Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and progressive activist Kina Collins, who both ran against him last year. Conyears-Ervin in May said she was undecided about running again.

La Shawn Ford, Democrat

State Rep. La Shawn Ford of Chicago has registered with the FEC to run for the 7th Congressional District but has told the Tribune he will campaign only if Davis retires.

“Absolutely, I will run if Congressman Davis is out,” Ford said, adding that he appreciates the congressman continuing to focus on opposing the administration of President Donald Trump rather than retirement.

A state representative since 2007, Ford is chair of the committee covering appropriations for higher education and an advocate for allowing hemp businesses to continue operating with regulations, ending ticketing in schools and bringing a supervised site for people using drugs to the West Side.

Jason Friedman, Democrat

Business owner Jason Friedman, who has never held public office, is the former president of Friedman Properties. The company, which was started by his father, Albert, is a major Chicago development firm that has built properties in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, which is part of the 7th Congressional District.

Others who have filed paperwork with the FEC stating their interest in running for the congressional seat were Democrats John McCombs, Kamaria Kali and Jerico Brown.

8th Congressional District

A mostly northwest suburban district that goes north and west of Carpentersville and dips as far east and south as Rosemont, the 8th Congressional District has been represented by U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi since 2017. With Krishnamoorthi running for Senate, here are the main candidates looking to succeed him.

Kevin Morrison, Democrat

Once the first openly LGBTQ+ and youngest-ever commissioner elected to the Cook County Board, Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison of Mount Prospect announced in May he’d run to succeed Krishnamoorthi.

“I believe in advancing policies that support families, and that everybody deserves a fair shot to get ahead,” he said in his campaign announcement.

Morrison snagged the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen of the 17th Congressional District, the commissioner posted on social media.

Yasmeen Bankole, Democrat

Hanover Park Trustee Yasmeen Bankole once served as a staffer in the office she’s now running to lead, working as a congressional aide to Krishnamoorthi during Trump’s first term, according to her campaign.

The Hanover Park native also worked for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin for six years, she said in a campaign video.

“I’ve seen what’s possible when you put the people of Illinois first every day,” she said.

Others who have filed paperwork with the FEC stating their interest in running for the congressional seat were Democrats Junaid Ahmed, a technology business owner who ran against Krishnamoorthi previously; Dan Tully, an attorney and Army veteran; Christ Kallas; small-business CEO Neil Khot; Joseph Wentzel; and entrepreneur Sanjyot Dunung.

Dunung served on the National Small Business Association’s board of directors and on President Joe Biden’s Foreign Policy Working Group focused on international trade. Ahmed has been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California.

On the Republican side, Mark Rice, who has also previously challenged Krishnamoorthi, is also planning to run.

9th Congressional District

From Graceland Cemetery on Chicago’s North Side and running north to Wilmette and then snaking north and west to Crystal Lake, the 9th Congressional District has been represented by U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky since 1999. Schakowsky said earlier this year she will retire at the end of her term. Schakowsky, as of mid-June, had not endorsed any candidates to succeed her and a person familiar with her decision-making told the Tribune she’s not intending to provide any endorsements in the race as she wants an open primary. Here are the main candidates looking to succeed her.

Kat Abughazaleh, Democrat

Progressive content creator Kat Abughazaleh is hoping to use her massive online audience and unconventional brand to earn the 9th Congressional District seat in Congress.

The 26-year-old newcomer to Illinois got a head start on fundraising, bringing in more than $375,000 in the first weeks of her campaign on a pitch to run a different kind of race, based on mutual aid efforts. She’s also advocated for free child care and expanding Social Security.

“People think that this campaign is really online, because that’s what my background is,” she told the Tribune. “But this is about our ground game.”

“I know that might sound idealistic, but I don’t care,” she added.

Bushra Amiwala, Democrat

Bushra Amiwala, elected to the Skokie School District 73.5 board, now is eyeing a seat in Congress.

Amiwala sees herself as “a fresh perspective from a familiar face,” she told the Tribune before she officially announced her candidacy. The Skokie native works at Google and recently graduated from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management with a master’s degree in business administration, according to her campaign.

Daniel Biss, Democrat

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss previously served for eight years in the General Assembly and unsuccessfully campaigned for governor in 2018, losing the Democratic primary race to now-Gov. JB Pritzker.

The second-term mayor immediately vaulted into a competitive fundraising position after his congressional campaign announcement last month, reporting he raised $350,000 in the first day. He’s also been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Downers Grove.

“I think people are looking for solutions. I think people are looking for someone who can demonstrate the ability to actually use government to improve people’s lives and create change and break through the cynicism,” Biss, a former assistant professor at the University of Chicago, told the Tribune. Trump’s election, he added, was a reflection of people who have ”given up and they figure government’s not going to fix any problems.”

Laura Fine, Democrat

Democratic state Sen. Laura Fine, of Glenview, has represented the area since 2013, the last six years as a state senator.

Now, she’s campaigning on her experience with health insurance issues, after she turned a family hardship into years working on legislation.

Fine’s husband, Michael, lost one of his arms in a near-fatal car crash in 2010, she said in an interview. She traces her entry into politics to the ensuing struggle with insurance companies.

“I made taking on big insurance my life’s work, and I feel like I didn’t let them ruin my family, and I was not going to let them ruin any others,” she said.

Fine has also racked up endorsements from at least 10 other members of the General Assembly in the first several weeks of her campaign.

She could soon be competing against other colleagues in the General Assembly, including state Sen. Mike Simmons of Uptown, who has said he’s interested in the seat, and state Rep. Hoan Huynh, also of Uptown.

Democrats Miracle Jenkins, who worked for Schakowsky as a deputy political director in 2018, and David Abrevaya have also filed paperwork to run, along with Republicans Mark Su and Rocio Cleveland.

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