Who is running for the U.S. House in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District?
With U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly giving up her seat in the House to run for the Senate, voters in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District face a crowded ballot in the Democratic primary on March 17.
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.
Here's who is on the ballot for the 2nd District primary elections on March 17.
Who are the Democrats running in the 2nd District?
Toni C. Brown
Brown has filed nominating petitions to appear on the Democratic ballot, but has no publicly available campaign website or social media pages.
Water Reclamation District Commissioner Yumeka Brown
Brown is a commissioner on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and the village clerk in south suburban Matteson.
Her priorities include affordable healthcare, strong public schools, clean water, and safe streets.
Campaign website: yumekaforcongress.com
Eric France
France runs a management consulting firm, and has been involved in the development of affordable housing for several organizations.
His priorities include affordable healthcare, expanding public transportation, improving access to mental healthcare, expanding affordable housing, protecting clean air and clean water, and investing in new business startups.
Campaign website: franceforcongress.com
Jesse Jackson Jr.
Jackson was the congressman in the 2nd District from 1995 until November 2012, when he stepped, citing health reasons, as he previously had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. But Jackson also acknowledged at the time that he was the subject of a federal investigation. Three months later, Jackson pleaded guilty to misusing $750,000 in campaign funds — spending the money as a personal slush fund, and served 23 months in prison.
In seeking a return to the 2nd District seat in Congress, his priorities include increasing teacher salaries, addressing gun violence, reversing cuts the Trump administration has made to Medicaid and food stamps, and expanding access to care for mental health. He is also committed to building a third full-service Northern Illinois airport in Peotone in Will County, a project for which the state started buying land in 2002, but has yet to provide plans for constructing an airport.
Campaign website: jessejacksonjrforcongress.com
Patrick Keating
Keating is an attorney and adjunct law professor, but his campaign site does not list any policy priorities or agenda.
Campaign website: votepjk.com
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller
Miller is a Cook County Commissioner representing the 6th District, which spans several south and southwest suburbs, including South Holland, Homewood, Matteson, Tinley Park, Oak Forest, Alsip, and Chicago Ridge. She has been in office since 2018.
Her priorities include fighting to lower prescription drug costs, supporting a Medicare for All framework, protecting reproductive healthcare access, opposing the Trump administration's tariffs, supporting a faster path to citizenship for immigrants, and expanding funding for services for veterans.
Campaign website: donnaforgcongress.com
Sidney Moore
Moore is a business owner who ran for Illinois Secretary of State in 2022, finishing in 4th place.
His priorities include expanding access to affordable healthcare coverage, increasing investment in local businesses, expanding job training programs, improving support for veterans and seniors, and providing more affordable housing.
Illinois state Sen. Robert Peters
Peters, a onetime community organizer, has been an Illinois state senator since 2019, representing the 13th Senate District, which stretches along the lakefront from Streeterville to Hyde Park to the Indiana state line.
His priorities include rolling back the Trump administration's cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, passing Medicare for All, creating more affordable housing, expanding Social Security benefits, lowering prescription drug prices, banning ICE agents from arresting people without court-approved warrants, and restoring abortion access rights nationwide.
Campaign website: robertpetersforcongress.com
Illinois state Sen. Willie Preston
Preston, who owns a construction firm, has been an Illinois state senator since 2023, representing the 16th Senate District, which spans several Southwest Side neighborhoods in Chicago, and several southwestern suburbs.
He touts accomplishments such as banning toxic food additives, expanding union apprenticeships, and providing recently released prisoners with state IDs to help ensure they can rebuild their lives.
Campaign website: electpreston.com
Adal Regis
Regis a former aide to Kelly, and a current stragegy director for Elevate, a Chicago-based clean energy nonprofit.
His priorities include advocating for affordable housing, trustworthy policing, a healthier environment, and targeted economic development.
Campaign website: regisforcongress.com
Who are the Republicans running in the 2nd District?
The only Republican on the ballot in the March 17 primary is Mike Noack, who wants to cut federal government spending, invest in clean renewable energy, and providing a path to citizenship for immigrants who have been in the U.S. for more than five years while focusing immigration enforcement on violent criminals.
Campaign website: noack4congress.com
The 2nd District has not elected a Republican to Congress since the 1950s.