Protesters and Congressional candidates try to stop ICE in Illinois
U.S. House of Representatives candidate Kat Abu-Ghazale joined protesters outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Center (ICE) in Chicago in September.
Today is Election Day in Illinois, and the Midwestern state’s primary campaign is featuring some troubling made-for-TV scenes that could predict how the election will pan out later this year.
Jesse Jackson Jr., the son of civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, is back on the ballot after years of controversy. Rep. Chuy Garcia’s legislative chief of staff is expected to succeed her after her former boss bypassed a state filing deadline to make way for her. And the heated Democratic primary to replace U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is nearing its end.
Particularly in Senate races, political observers sit on the edge of the seat. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has a significant spending advantage over Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and Rep. Robin Kelly. But in recent months, Stratton has touted his support from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and released viral ads featuring expletives targeting President Donald Trump.
The St. Patrick’s Day vote will take place about eight months after Election Day, as both parties seek a majority in the House and Democrats remain bullish on their chances of retaking the Senate later this year despite the difficult climate.
Groups linked to AIPAC spend huge sums of money in parliamentary elections
The race in the 9th Congressional District could signal a potential shift in how Democratic voters view Israel and in spending from the pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Groups affiliated with AIPAC participated in the race, running ads critical of the front-runners, Evanston Mayors Daniel Biss and Kat Abu-Ghazaleh. State Sen. Laura Fine is also considered a possible candidate in the district, which includes parts of Chicago and nearby suburbs such as Evanston (home of Northwestern University) and Glenview.
Mr. Fine has supported Israel without Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Mr. Abu Ghazaleh and Mr. Bis, both Palestinian Americans, have taken a harder line, according to a position paper obtained by Jewish Insider. The race is expected to replace Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who backed Biss and retired.
Mr. Abu Ghazaleh, a Gen Z influencer with more than 650,000 followers, has led the campaign with more than $3 million in funding since its launch, while Mr. Bis is leading the polls, according to interactive data from The New York Times. Abu Ghazaleh has pleaded not guilty to charges brought in connection with protests against the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign.
Jesse Jackson Jr. returns to polling place in Illinois after father’s death
After his father passed away a month ago, Mr. Jackson Jr. plans to return to the Chicago ballot for the former congressman’s seat in the state’s 2nd District, which he held from 1995 until he resigned in 2012. Jackson Jr. was convicted of campaign finance crimes in August 2013 and subsequently served time in federal prison, according to his government resume.
At the time of his resignation from Congress, he was on medical leave and had twice been treated for bipolar disorder at the Mayo Clinic. He was the subject of two separate misconduct investigations. One from the House Ethics Committee and the other from the U.S. Department of Justice.
His fiercest opponents include Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller and state Sen. Robert Peters.
Senate race tests Democrats’ message on Trump and ICE
Tuesday night’s Illinois Senate race will likely be the most complicated primary in Illinois. The race to replace Durbin, the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the Senate, is centered around Kelly, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Mr. Stratton and Mr. Pritzker, the No. 2 presidential candidate in 2028. and prolific fundraiser Krishnamoorthi.
In a January debate, the three leading candidates called for an overhaul of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but their styles differed depending on their position. Stratton called for the abolition of ICE, and Kelly said it should be “dismantled.” Five-term Congressman Krishnamoorthi has been less than enthusiastic about abolishing or dismantling ICE, blaming Trump for ICE’s recent PR woes.
If either Kelly or Stratton wins, she would likely become the sixth Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, and only the second Black woman from Illinois, after former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun. Mr. Stratton has received financial and political support from Mr. Pritzker in this race.
Currently, there are only two black women serving in the U.S. Senate, Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Allsbrooks of Maryland, making up only a small portion of the chamber given that the Democratic voting base is made up of black women. Stratton’s supporters have criticized the fact that pro-Krishnamoorthi organizations are backing Kelly, including the Indian American Impact Fund and groups connected to the crypto industry, including a super PAC called Fairsake.
Contributor: Catalina Camia, Philip M. Bailey
