7th District race in Illinois pits state Rep. La Shawn Ford against perennial candidate Chad Koppie

As longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Danny Davis prepares to retire at the end of his term, a veteran Illinois state lawmaker is hoping to take over the seat in November's election, and is facing off against a perennial Republican candidate who has described himself as "not electable."

Davis has represented the district that includes the Loop, much of the West Side, and several western suburbs for nearly 30 years. In the March primaries, 15 people lined up to be his successor.

Illinois state Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago) defeated 12 other candidates in the Democratic primary with Davis' endorsement. Kane County farmer Chad Koppie defeated radio host Patricia Easley in the Republican primary.

Koppie has been a perennial GOP candidate in Illinois for decades, often running in races where Republicans are very long shots.

He has had failed bids for the U.S. Senate in 1992, 1996, 2008, 2014, 2016, and 2020. He also unsuccessfully ran for governor in 1998 and for lieutenant governor in 2018.

"As a very conservative individual, I've run for office so many times already," Koppie said. "I am considered as not electable because of my position on abortion."

With affordability the top issue for voters, CBS News Chicago asked Ford what he could do if he is elected.

"We will repeal the president and the Republicans' tax breaks and cuts to the ultra rich, and pass that back to the American people," he said.

For his part, Koppie said his priority would be lowering taxes, but he could not say where the federal government should cut spending to offset the lost revenue.

"I can't address that, because I'm not that up on that particular aspect of the issue, but … it wouldn't take me long to learn," Koppie said.

Ford said, if he is elected, impeaching President Trump would not be a priority for him.

"The priority of mine is to make sure that seniors are able to receive more benefits for Social Security," he said.

Asked on what issues he disagrees with President Trump, Koppie pointed to the war with Iran and tariffs that have hurt farmers.

Pressed on if that means he places some of the blame for the country's current economic situation on the president, Koppie said, "True that."

Ford said, while crime is down significantly in Chicago in recent years, there's still a lot of work to do.

"The way we do it is make sure that people have health care, so that they can receive physical and mental support," he said.

Asked whether he feels the Trump administration's controversial immigration enforcement effort in Chicago last year was a success, Koppie said he believes federal immigration agents were "too tough" during Operation Midway Blitz.

"In other words, there are people getting hurt, there are people getting shot," he said. "I'm critical of it to a certain degree; not to a large, large degree, but to a certain degree."