Major shakeups are coming to Illinois politics in the next two years.
Behind closed doors, Cook County Democrats Friday voted not to endorse in the 2026 race for U.S. Senate, setting the stage for a competitive, expensive open primary for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s seat.
“I think we have, at this moment, three good candidates. I’m not likely to endorse in the race. I may in some other races but not that one,” Durbin said.
Two Senate hopefuls, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, made their case to the party. Reporters asked them to explain their top priorities if they were to be elected to the Senate.
“We need to make life more affordable for the families of Illinois and Americans across the country. We need to expand access to opportunity, including restoring the Department of Ed.,” Stratton said.
“We have to hold this administration accountable. When it’s unaccountable and acts with impunity, bad things happen and are happening today. Second is: We have to meet people where they are economically and address their economic concerns,” Krishnamoorthi said.
U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly was still traveling back to the Chicago area after a late-night vote in Washington DC, so she appeared by proxy. Christopher Swann, Kevin Ryan and Jump Shepherd also appeared before the party during Friday’s slate-making event.
Durbin is retiring when his term is up. U.S. Rep. Danny Davis said he will make announcement about his political future — whether or not he will retire — soon.
“I’m not saying that I’m going to retire just yet, but I am saying that I am thinking about it, and I will have decided in the next 7, 8 days,” Davis said.
Davis said if he does retire, he will endorse the candidate he wants to succeed him.
“I wouldn’t leave without some thoughts and ideas on what I think people ought to be looking at and looking for,” Davis said.
If Davis retires, that could mean four open congressional seats and an open Senate seat all at once. E.J. Fagan, an assistant professor of political science at University of Illinois Chicago, said he can’t remember that ever happening before in Illinois.
“Those are major retirements. Those are longtime members of the Illinois delegation, people who have been in powerful leadership roles, and now they’re older, and so they haven’t been as influential in recent years. So you’re going to see huge generational change. In at least one of those seats, you could see 60 years of change,” Fagan said.
A few potential 2027 Chicago mayoral candidates, including Comptroller Susana Mendoza and Alderman Bill Conway, also attended the slatemaking event. Alexi Giannoulias is not saying whether he’ll run for mayor, but he also wouldnt commit to serving out a full term as secretary of state.
“I don’t like making campaign promises, that ‘I promise to do that,’ nor would I hold anyone else to it. I promise that I love the work that I’m doing. I care deeply about helping people and that’ll never change,” Giannoulias said.
On the Republican side, NBC 5 Chicago has learned at least two people are considering running for U.S. Senate: former Republican National Committeeman Richard Porter and U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood.
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