Jesse Jackson Jr.’s political comeback part of crowded Illinois 2nd Congressional District race
Jesse Jackson Jr. is attempting a political comeback among a crowded field of candidates vying to represent Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District.
Jackson Jr. once held the seat for 17 years and officially announced his return to politics in October. Also among the 10 candidates who ran is Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, who leads the crowded race in fundraising, partially thanks to donors tied to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. State Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, has the progressive backing, including an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Rounding out the rest of the primary field was state Sen. Willie Preston; Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board member Yumeka Brown; Adal Regis, who worked in U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly’s district office; management consultant Eric France; attorney Patrick “PJK” Keating; Toni C. Brown and Sidney Moore.
The only Republican candidate on the primary ballot was Mike Noack.
The winner of the heavily Democratic district will replace Kelly, who left the office to run for outgoing U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat.
Kelly launched her Senate bid in May, surrendering the district she has represented since 2013. The sprawling district includes neighborhoods in the South Side and several in the south suburbs, such as Chicago Heights, Dolton and South Holland, as well as parts of central Illinois, including Kankakee and Danville.
Jackson Jr. announced his run on the 84th birthday of his father, civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson. Four months later, he was thrust into the national and local spotlight when his father died last month.
Jackson Jr., 60, represented the 2nd Congressional District from 1995 to 2012, when he left Congress because of mental health issues. Not long after, he was charged and convicted for misusing his campaign funds and served 17 months in federal prison.
His campaign has focused on the “unfinished work” he has after leaving Congress. He pledges to open up the district to the “global economy” and to expand the Affordable Care Act to include dental, vision and hearing benefits and bring more people into the system.
Jackson Jr.’s campaign has received more than $1 million from pro-AI donors, according to Axios. About a week before the election, his campaign used AI in an ad to replicate former U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush’s voice.
Miller, 60, is currently serving her second term as 6th District commissioner on the Cook County Board.
Her platform included pushing for Medicare for All, maternal health and reproductive justice, and good jobs and lower costs for working families. She served on the board of Planned Parenthood of Illinois and said she would push for Congress to codify Roe v. Wade.
Miller’s campaign fundraising came under scrutiny during the primary race. She reported at least $875,000 from donors who have given to AIPAC or its affiliated super PAC, the United Democracy Project, since 2023, according to figures from the Federal Election Commission.
Miller has received a total of $2.4 million from AIPAC, Axios reported. Peters’ campaign has also claimed she received funds from Trump donors.
Miller told the Sun-Times last month that she doesn’t have any “MAGA donors.” When asked if she supported “unconditional military aid for Israel,” Miller said, “Israel does have a right to exist.”
Peters, 40, appointed to the state Senate in 2019 to succeed Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, said he’s long been a champion for key progressive issues, including Medicare for All and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. His campaign has focused on affordable housing and quality health care.
Noack, the sole Republican candidate, is a truck driver who has lived in Kankakee County for 32 years, according to his campaign website. His platform includes lowering health care costs, investing in reliable renewable energy, reforming the immigration process, lowering the state’s property taxes and investing in veterans.
