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.
- Alton Sinkhole - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:40 pm:
A good time to be an Illinois political consultant
- *ducks* - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:54 pm:
“And get this:”
quite the leadoff hitter to a blurb haha
- 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.
- 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.
- 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…
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:02 pm:
===But if they win===
Their replacements will be appointed.
- H-W - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:05 pm:
I’d be willing to run against Mary Miller.
- 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.
- Amalia - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:21 pm:
Raja vs. Julianna. he really should not do that one.
- 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…
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?
- 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.
- 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?
- 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.
- 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
- Amalia - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 4:00 pm:
Justin Ford. moved here (back?) in 2023?
- 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…
- Cosgrove - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 5:12 pm:
Bertino-Tarrant has a horrible Senate record on reproductive rights. She said some of the most offensive things about women who have abortions that I ever heard in all my Springfield years. Yes, I wll talk!
- 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.
- 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.
- Bob - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 11:09 pm:
==No sense giving up safe seats to take on Stratton at this point.==
She is immensely beatable. Especially when you have $19 million in the bank.
- Bob - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 11:11 pm:
Saw Harry Benton’s name mentioned for 14 in another publication.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 2, 25 @ 12:17 am:
===Especially when you have $19 million in the bank===
It’s definitely not inconsequentional, but the governor probably made $19 million today (snark, but not by much).