City Cast Chicago logo

Congressional Races to Watch in Illinois

Posted on March 13, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Sidney Madden

Sidney Madden

Headshots of community organizer Kina Collins and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis

Community organizer Kina Collins is challenging U.S. Rep. Danny Davis in the Democratic primary in the Illinois 7th Congressional District — again. (Erin Hooley / Tribune / Getty)

City Cast

Congressional Rematch, School Board Election Plan, and Fantasy Fest Lineup

00:00:00

T-6 days until Election Day, and Chicago voters have big decisions to make on their ballots, including which lawmakers to elect. Here are the U.S. Congress races we’re watching.

Ald. Ray Lopez, 15th Ward, wants Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García’s seat representing the Southwest Side and west suburbs. It is a rematch of sorts between the Democrats: The progressive incumbent and the more conservative alder both ran for mayor last year.

Rep. Danny Davis has represented the district — which covers the West Side as well as parts of the South Side and downtown — for almost 30 years. But four other Democrats are hoping to unseat him next week.

  • Community organizer Kina Collins is challenging the 82-year-old lawmaker for a third time after narrowly losing to him in 2022.
  • Amid ethics allegations, City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin is also throwing her hat into the race.
  • Educator Nikhil Bhatia and former Gov. JB Pritzker staffer Kouri Marshall are also running.
Headshots of former state lawmaker Darren Bailey and U.S. Rep. Mike Bost

Former state lawmaker Darren Bailey is challenging U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in Illinois' 12th Congressional District. (Trent Sprague and E. Jason Wambsgans / Tribune / Getty)

All eyes are on the Republican primary in this downstate race: Former state Sen. Darren Bailey is challenging Rep. Mike Bost in one of Illinois' most conservative districts. Bost, who calls himself a “governing conservative,” got former President Donald Trump’s endorsement while Bailey is backed by Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Mary Miller of Illinois.

Share article

Hey Chicago

Stay connected to City Cast Chicago and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

The latest in Chicago

Chicago, ExplainedSeptember 4

Take This Week's Chicago News Trivia Quiz

How closely were you paying attention to this week's current events in Chicago? Test yourself in our weekly trivia quiz.

Residents, shown from behind, confront ICE agents who were driving in a caravan through the Brighton Park neighborhood in November.
Keep It LocalSeptember 3

Your Guide To Karaoke Bars in Chicago

Whether your perfect karaoke night involves performing to an entire bar or renting a room for a more intimate experience, you’ve got opti...

A woman singing into a mic. A man is holding up what looks to be a tv screen
Keep It LocalSeptember 3

The Art of Karaoke

Karaoke is pretty serious business, and I want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.

A woman singing into a mic with her finger pointed up. There's a man behind her holding a screen
Keep It LocalAugust 27

How To Start Growing Your Own Food

Amid a summer of foodborne illnesses, intense weather, and ever-rising grocery prices, many Chicagoans are exploring ways to grow their o...

A man in a bucket hat and glasses holding vegetables in a large garden
Keep It LocalAugust 27

Your Guide To Chicago’s Garden Shops

From expansive gardening centers to little shops packed with houseplants, it’s not hard to find all the supplies you need to bring some m...

A garden with an assortment of big leafed plants
Keep It LocalAugust 20

How Transit Tees Turns Chicago’s Quirks Into Board Games

From board games about the city’s history to puzzles of iconic maps to card decks featuring local wildlife, Transit Tees’ teams of creato...

A person writing on a gridded paper that says "Chicago 1893" There's also a board game with an assortment of different houses for the board game on it. There is also A bowl of popcorn and a soda on the table
Keep It LocalAugust 20

Your Guide to Chicago’s Toy Stores

From vintage toys to a workshop series for aspiring toy inventors, Here's a list of places that’ll help you spoil the kids in your life a...

A table with an assortment of different stuffed animals
Keep It LocalAugust 13

Your Guide to Chicago’s Stationery Stores

Whether you’re actually going back to school soon or you just love analog hobbies, these local shops will help you find all kinds of stat...

A large group of people inside a store. They are looking at an assortment of items