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As the Illinois Primary looms on the horizon, less than a month away, the political landscape is poised for significant changes. This primary marks the initial phase in the process of filling several seats in the state’s Congressional delegation.
One of the most notable shifts comes with the retirement of Senator Dick Durbin, a long-standing figure in Illinois politics. His departure has set the stage for Congresswoman Robin Kelly, representing the second district, and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi from the eighth district, both of whom are vying for Durbin’s esteemed Senate position.
Within the Chicago area, the political scene is further stirred by the availability of five open seats in the House of Representatives. Such openings promise to reshape the representation of the area significantly.
Adding to the wave of change, incumbents Jesus “Chuy” Garcia from the fourth district, Danny Davis from the seventh, and Jan Schakowsky from the ninth have all announced their retirements. Their exits mark the end of eras and pave the way for fresh faces and perspectives in Illinois’ Congressional ranks.
Meanwhile, incumbents Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in the fourth district, Danny Davis in the 7th and Jan Schakowsky in the 9th are all retiring.
“This is pretty unusual,” says Twyla Blackmond, associate professor of political science at Loyola University, “There’s a lot of open seats and a lot of open seats that are being contested on both sides.”
She says voters are going to have a lot of options.
2026 primary elections: Click here for voter information in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin
“They’re going to have to take a bit more time to understand the different elections and candidates and really kind of consider their choices,” she said.
Durbin, Davis and Schakowsky have had long tenures in Congress, meaning they’ve also made many connections over the years that the newcomers will not.
“The loss of institutional knowledge would be a disadvantage to the party. However, there are many individuals and voters who would like to see some big changes in the Democratic party. And that comes with new faces new voices and new ideas,” Blackmond said.
So, how will this “new guard” compare to the “old guard” even if they’re members of the same party?
“I think that we can see that a lot of the newcomers as well as like younger voters, more liberal or leftist voters, really want to see the Democrats just be a little bit more assertive and aggressive in their politics,” she said.
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