Democratic Field Set for 2026 House Races in Illinois

The primary winners are widely expected to have an advantage in the general election in November.
Democratic Field Set for 2026 House Races in Illinois
Campaign signs in Oak Park, Ill., on March 17, 2026. Nathaniel Smith for The Epoch Times
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CHICAGO—The Democratic primaries for Congress in Illinois were held on March 17, setting the stage for the November elections. Given the state’s strong Democratic tilt, the primary winners are widely expected to have an advantage in the general election.

Of the state’s 17 congressional seats, five were open—marking the largest number of open House races in Illinois in at least 70 years.

One of the most-watched contests was in the state’s Ninth Congressional District, where Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss won the Democratic primary, defeating 14 other candidates including content creator Kat Abughazaleh, state Sen. Laura Fine, and former FBI agent Phil Andrew. It is unclear which Republican Biss will face in the midterms.

Most voters who spoke with The Epoch Times cast their ballot for Biss. They cited Biss’s leadership experience and campaign tone as key reasons for their support.
Jackson Richman
Jackson Richman
Reporter
Jackson Richman is a Washington correspondent for The Epoch Times. In addition to Washington politics, he covers the intersection of politics and sports/sports and culture. He previously was a writer at Mediaite and Washington correspondent at Jewish News Syndicate. His writing has also appeared in The Washington Examiner. He is an alum of George Washington University.
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