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 Incumbent |  Carol Moseley-Braun(D) |
| Opponent | Peter Fitzgerald(R) |
| Race outlook | Leans Republican |
| Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun looks to be the weakest Democratic incumbent up for re-election. Controversies involving campaign spending, her personal life, and visits with a Nigerian dictator have damaged her standing with the voters. (A spokesman says she dropped in on Nigerian strongman Sani Abache to persuade him to be more democratic.) In a recent television ad, Moseley-Braun apologized to the voters for past mistakes. GOP State Sen. Peter Fitzgerald is leading in the polls and is expected to win. Moseley-Braun has hit Fitzgerald's conservative views on abortion. Fitzgerald accuses her of being "soft on criminals" and voting against tax cuts. |
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Open seat | U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard(D) |
| Open seat | George Ryan(R) |
| Race outlook | Leans Republican |
Still popular after two terms, Gov. Jim Edgar (R) is stepping aside. Republican Secretary of State George Ryan and Democratic Congressman Glenn Poshard are vying to succeed him. Ryan, who has defined himself as a moderate in the Edgar mold, seems positioned to hold the seat for the GOP. Already elected twice to statewide office, Ryan was better known, and early polls gave him a significant lead. As the race narrowed over the summer, Ryan, whose fundraising had been strong, went on the air touting his support for gun control and the environment. He attacked Poshard's votes against criminal background checks on gun purchases and against the Clean Air Act. Poshard has received the endorsement of Chicago's Mayor Daley, but many liberal Democrats have been uncomfortable with his views on gun control and abortion (pro-life). Jesse Jackson has given Poshard only tepid support, which could affect support from the black community. Although labor the Democratic Party are spending heavily on his race, Poshard is still lagging, and it is unlikely he can overcome Ryan's wide lead in the polls. |
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Incumbent | size=2>BOBBY RUSH (D) --age 51 Elected in 1992 |
| Opponent | Marlene White Ahimaz (R) Businesswoman/Professor |
| Outlook | Strong Democrat |
| District Profile | Chicago - South and southwest sides.1996 House:D-86% R-13% |
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Incumbent | size=2>JESSE JACKSON Jr. (D) -- age 33 Elected Dec. 1995 |
| Opponents | Robet Gordon III (R) --age 45 Matthew Beauchamp (Libertarian) Securities Trader |
| Outlook | Strong Democrat |
| District Profile | size=2> Chicago - Far South Side; south suburbs, Chicago Heights .1996 House:D-94% R-6% |
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Incumbent | WILLIAM LIPINSKI (D) -- age 60 Elected in 1982 |
| Opponent | Robert Marshall (R) --age 55 Cardiologist/1990 Gov. |
| Outlook | Strong Democrat |
| District Profile | size=2> Chicago - Southwest side; south and west suburbs .1996House:D-65% R-32% |
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Incumbent | size=2>LUIS GUTIERREZ (D) -- age 43 Elected in 1992 |
| Opponents | John Birch (R) --age 45 Retired US Army Major, Intelligence William Passmore (Libertarian)1996 nominee |
| Outlook | Strong Democrat |
| District Profile | size=2> Chicago - Parts of North side, southwest side . 1996 House:1996 D-94% Lib-6% |
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Incumbent | ROD BLAGOJEVICH (D) --age 41 Elected in 1996 |
| Opponent | Alan Spitz (R) --age 46 Attorney/GOP Activist |
| Outlook | Strong Democrat |
| District Profile | size=2> Chicago - North Side . 1996 House: size=2>D-64% R-36% |
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Incumbent | size=2>HENRY HYDE (R) --age 74 Elected in 1974 |
| Opponents | Thomas Cramer (D) George Meyers (Libertarian) |
| Outlook | Strong Republican |
| District Profile | size=2>Northwest and west Chicago suburbs.1996 House: face=Arial size=2>D-33% R-64% |
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Incumbent | size=2>DANNY DAVIS (D) -- age 57 Elected in 1996 |
| Opponent | Dorn VanCleve III (Libertarian) |
| Outlook | Strong Democrat |
| District Profile | size=2> Chicago - Downtown; West Side . 1996 House: size=2>D-83% R-15% |
Incumbent | size=2>PHILLIP CRANE (R) --age 68 Elected Nov 1969 |
| Opponent | Mike Rothamn (D) --age 56 Businessman/Fmr Deputy Sheriff |
| Outlook | Strong Republican |
| District Profile | size=2> Northwest Cook County - Schaumburg; Palatine . 1996House:D-36% R-62% |
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Open Seat | size=2>Jan Schakowsky (D) --age 54. State Representative Schakowsky took 45 percent of the vote in a six-way primary. Herb Sohn (R) --age 71 Physician/Attorney/Perenniacandidate Mike Ray (Libertarian) Government Agency Clerk |
| Outlook | Strong Democrat |
| District Profile | size=2> Chicago - North Side Lakefront and suburbs; retiring |
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Incumbent | size=2>JOHN PORTER (R) -- age 63 Elected in 1980 |
| Opponent | No Democratic opponent(D) |
| Outlook | Strong Republican |
| District Profile | size=2> North and Northwest Chicago suburbs - Waulkegan . 1996 House: D-31% R-69% |
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Incumbent | size=2>JERRY WELLER (R) --age 41 Elected in 1994 |
| Opponent | Gary Mueller (D) --age 34 Attorney |
| Outlook | Strong Republican |
| District Profile | size=2> South Chicago suburbs and Joliet . 1996 House: D-48% R-52% |