Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Musical chairs (Updated)
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Musical chairs (Updated)

Thursday, May 1, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Politico looks at possible candidates if US House members and others decide to run for US Senate

The most competitive of the three races will likely be for the 8th District seat now held by Krishnamoorthi. Branding expert Christ Kallas has already jumped into the race, and Junaid Ahmed, who primaried Krishnamoorthi in 2022 (and got 30 percent of the vote that year), is looking to jump in, too. Others lining up campaigns or considering it are state Sen. Cristina Castro, state Rep. Anna Moeller, Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison and businessman Neil Khot.

[Robin] Kelly’s 2nd District seat is being eyed by Cook County Board Commissioner Donna Miller and state Sen. Robert Peters.

In Underwood’s 14th District, Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant has been quietly assembling a campaign team should the seat open up. Bertino-Tarrant had served as a state senator and as Will County regional superintendent of schools.

And get this: Chicago Ald. Timmy Knudsen is looking into running for state treasurer if Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs joins the Senate race. Knudsen is a two-term Chicago alderman and former lawyer for investment funds. He would be the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected statewide.

Additions, subtractions, other thoughts?

…Adding… Daily Herald

With veteran Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky expected to announce Monday if she’ll run for reelection in Illinois’ 9th District, another newcomer has launched a campaign for the seat.

Chicagoan Justin Ford this week announced he’ll seek the Democratic nomination for the congressional post Schakowsky, of Evanston, has held since 1999.

“I think we need not just new faces but a new type of leader,” Ford said in an email Thursday.

       

25 Comments »
  1. - Alton Sinkhole - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:40 pm:

    A good time to be an Illinois political consultant


  2. - *ducks* - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:54 pm:

    “And get this:”

    quite the leadoff hitter to a blurb haha


  3. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:54 pm:

    What I love is that then we’ll have new people running for Castro’s seat, Peters’ seat, etc.

    Really hard to think of another time in IL history that the majority party has had this much top to bottom turnover.


  4. - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:58 pm:

    ===new people running for Castro’s seat, Peters’ seat===

    Castro and Peters will be in the middle of four-year terms.


  5. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:01 pm:

    ==Castro and Peters will be in the middle of four-year terms.==

    But if they win…

    And hey, we can talk about Moeller, too. Or Fine if she runs for Jan’s seat…


  6. - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:02 pm:

    ===But if they win===

    Their replacements will be appointed.


  7. - H-W - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:05 pm:

    I’d be willing to run against Mary Miller.


  8. - TJ - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:19 pm:

    Got a notification on Facebook that the group “Raja for Congress” changed its name to just “Raja Krishnamoorthi.”

    That suggests to me that he ain’t running for the lower house anymore, so that means either Senate or Governor.


  9. - Amalia - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:21 pm:

    Raja vs. Julianna. he really should not do that one.


  10. - NIU Grad - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:29 pm:

    If the seat opens up, I think the contest for Treasurer will have more well-known figures than Timmy…


  11. - New Day - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:38 pm:

    Jan’s seat will have Laura Fine, Danny Biss, and possibly others. I hear Mike Simmons name as well as Kelly Cassidy (though I don’t believe she’d be interested).


  12. - John Lopez - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:38 pm:

    === And hey, we can talk about Moeller, too. Or Fine if she runs for Jan’s seat… ===

    State Reps Moeller & Fine would simply give up their seats if either ran for Congress. There’d be no appoprimary.

    I live in the 8th Congressional District seat & IMHO it’s Senator Cristina Castro’s should Congressman Krishnamoorthi run for U.S. Senate. Castro was so active in April 1 elections helping Democrats flip township seats & other offices across the 8th Congressional District getting her name out in the many targeted mailings she sent thru DPI & with nearly all of the Democrats she backed winning, she’ll be formidable in a primary.


  13. - New Day - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:38 pm:

    “If the seat opens up, I think the contest for Treasurer will have more well-known figures than Timmy…”

    Mike has two young kids. I highly doubt he’d go for Senate.


  14. - Matty - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:40 pm:

    As a 9th District resident for many years, the only possible candidate I could get excited about is Kelly Cassidy. The announced options are hard no’s for many of us.


  15. - TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:45 pm:

    –Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant has been quietly assembling a campaign team should the seat open up–

    Is the goal here to hand this seat over to a Republican? Because this would be an almost certain way to do that. Her newcomer status which allowed her to get elected to the state senate where she voted against cannabis legalization, and failed to vote for womens rights, is gone. She’s a known quantity now.

    She then fought very hard to prevent Rachel Ventura from being elected, instead trying to insert her hand-picked county exec chief of staff Eric Mattson into the state senate seat when it became vacant - where he then promptly lost to Rachel Ventura in an actual election. She has cast tie-breaking votes on the county board which ended up advancing a republican vote. She ran a meeting with the knowledge a member of her caucus had to leave at a certain time, and scheduled the vote for county chair after that time, allowing republicans to win the position of county chair despite not having a majority of seats. Bertino-Tarrant barely squeaked out a win as the county exec in her 2024 election with 51% of the vote.

    In fact, the trend in her elections has been of smaller and smaller margins of victory. Won the senate seat in 2012 with 53%, then re-elected in 2016 with 52%. Her last election as county exec down to a barely winning 51%.

    Conversely, Rachel Ventura won her last election in this area with a comfortable 58%.

    Bertino-Tarrant is an old guard Will County Democrat. I don’t see her being able to win a seat in a higher office against a republican. I’m not even sure she would be able to win a democratic primary for a higher office at this point.


  16. - DougChicago - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:49 pm:

    Schakosky retires, but all the rest stay put. No sense giving up safe seats to take on Stratton at this point.


  17. - New Day - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:19 pm:

    “The announced options are hard no’s for many of us.”

    There’s only one announced option. But I assume you’re talking about Dan or Laura. Why are they unacceptable?


  18. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:29 pm:

    ==Raja vs. Julianna. he really should not do that one.==

    He’s been gearing up for it for a decade and has $20m in the bank.

    I think Stratton has done herself a TON of good this last week, but there’s no reason for Raja to pass.


  19. - Regina G. - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:30 pm:

    ===”Got a notification on Facebook that the group “Raja for Congress” changed its name to just “Raja Krishnamoorthi.”

    Delia Ramirez did the same LAST MONTH! Her team is seriously delulu if she is going to run for Senate. Do we see any Democrats that could take her spot?


  20. - Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:41 pm:

    ===Delia Ramirez did the same LAST MONTH! ===

    Delia isn’t running for Senate. This could just be a DCCC/consultant branding suggestion.


  21. - Frida’s boss - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:59 pm:

    “State Reps Moeller & Fine would simply give up their seats if either ran for Congress.”

    Laura Fine is a Senator. Not sure if she’s up or not. Guessing that would play into the calculation


  22. - Amalia - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 4:00 pm:

    Justin Ford. moved here (back?) in 2023?


  23. - Arsenal - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 4:32 pm:

    ==Laura Fine is a Senator. Not sure if she’s up or not. Guessing that would play into the calculation==

    According to Ballotpedia, she’s up in ‘26, so eventually she’d have to choose which one to go for. And if it’s Congress, that opens up her seat…


  24. - low level - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 5:16 pm:

    My understanding is 4th Ward Alderman Lamont Robinson is looking at the Robin Kelly seat as well should she decide to run for Senate. Lamont would be a very strong candidate.


  25. - Candy Dogood - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 5:35 pm:

    ===Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs joins the Senate race.===

    Mike is just happy people have mentioned him.


TrackBack URI

Anonymous commenters, uncivil comments, rumor-mongering, disinformation and profanity of any kind will be deleted.

(required)

(required)



* Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)
* Musical chairs (Updated)
* Powering Illinois' Energy And Economic Future
* Comptroller Mendoza points to SAFE-T Act provision, says it's time to 'get rid of policies that have not made our communities safer and have in fact, put officers and residents at risk' (Updated)
* Repeal IFPA Now
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition
* Securing The Future: How Ironworkers Power Energy Storage With Precision And Skill
* Judge blames mistrials on 'confusing' jury notes, moves La Schiazza retrial to next year
* It’s just a bill
* Illinois Medicaid: Working Together To Support The Health Of Our Families, Communities, And State
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some other stuff (Updated)
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Live coverage
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
May 2025
April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller