Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller projected to win Illinois 2nd Congressional District primary, ending Jesse Jackson Jr. comeback bid
CBS News projects Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller has won the Democratic primary for U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly's seat in the 2nd Congressional District in Illinois, handing a defeat to former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in his bid for a political comeback.
With 72% of the vote in as of 8:25 p.m., Miller had 40.8% of the vote, with Jackson in second with 28.6%. Both candidates were far ahead of the other eight.
In the November general election, Miller will face truck driver Mike Noack, who was unopposed in the Republican primary. The 2nd District has not elected a Republican to Congress since the 1950s.
Jackson had been looking to return to Congress after resigning in 2012, and was hoping voters will give him another chance despite his conviction on federal charges.
However, Jackson also trailed far behind Miller and Illinois state Sen. Robert Peters in fundraising. Miller raised nearly $2 million for her campaign, and Peters raised more than $1.1 million, while Jackson brought in less than $300,000.
The district includes much of Chicago's southern lakefront neighborhoods; several south suburbs, including Dolton, South Holland, Chicago Heights, and Park Forest; and parts of east central Illinois, including Kankakee, Pontiac, Rantoul, and Danville.
Jackson was Kelly's predecessor in the district, but stepped down in November 2012, citing health reasons and an intensifying federal investigation into the use of his campaign funds.
He later pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges, admitting to illegally using $750,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses, including jewelry, electronics, furniture, and home renovations. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, but with credit for good behavior, he spent a year and a half in prison, then three months in a halfway house and three months confined to his home before his sentence was completed.
Jackson Jr. was first elected to the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election in December 1995, replacing Rep. Mel Reynolds — who had resigned after being convicted of sexual assault.
His brother, U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, represents the 1st Congressional District in Illinois, and is running unopposed in Tuesday's Democratic primary.