* Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller…
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller is launching her campaign for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District today, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, with an introductory video, linked here, that summarizes her family’s history of service and her plans to carry that legacy forward.
Miller raised her family in the south suburbs and grew up in Chicago with her family’s generational story rooted in Black migration.
It is that legacy of determination, perseverance and public service that prompted Miller to serve on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and to launch her campaign to serve as the next congresswoman from the 2nd District.
She states in the video, “My great-grandfather was a Pullman Porter; he helped build the Black middle class. My grandmother, mother and sister were all teachers, and my dad wore this country’s uniform his entire career. I’ve carried that legacy forward. On the Cook County Board, I’ve worked to expand healthcare access, lower costs and deliver better care – especially for women and communities of color.
Commissioner Donna Miller has joined a crowded Democratic primary, running alongside state Sen. Robert Peters, Eric France and Adal Regis. Former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. is also reportedly eyeing a bid.
* Politico…
Richard Porter, a battle-hardened Republican Party loyalist, is considering a bid for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, who’s retiring.
Porter sees an opening for himself and the Illinois Republican Party by blending establishment savvy with MAGA fealty.
His background: Porter, 65, is a seasoned attorney from Chicago’s northern suburbs and a former Republican National Committeeman who has worn many hats over the years. He was a senior domestic policy adviser to President George W. Bush and counselor to Vice President Dan Quayle. More recently he’s been an unofficial adviser within the Illinois Republican Party. […]
Walking a tightrope: “I represent the old and new party,” Porter told your Playbook host, adding he’s still in the “testing the waters phase” of running for Senate.
* Press release…
Robin Kelly will hit the road today to sit with Illinois residents, hear their concerns about the Big Ugly Bill and discuss ways to address their fears and move Illinois forward. Kelly voted against the Big Ugly Bill multiple times and stood with Leader Jeffries as he blasted Trump and the GOP’s “immoral” megabill in a record 8-plus-hour speech. Kelly is committed to continuing her fight against this cruel agenda in the U.S. Senate.
WHEN
Wednesday, July 9
1:45 p.m.
WHERE
Peoria Public Downtown Library
* Evanston Roundtable…
[Sen. Mike Simmons], who represents the far north side of Chicago in the state senate, announced his candidacy on social media Tuesday morning. He pitched himself as the candidate to champion affordable housing, increase access to mental health care for youth, boost public transportation and lift up small businesses. […]
“That’s the type of leadership and creativity and innovation, and, frankly, just the dedication to the people I represent in the communities that raised me, that I would bring to Congress,” Simmons told the RoundTable in an interview. […]
In in his current position, he helped add a state-level child tax credit to “provide tax relief to working families” and helped pass the Jett Hawkins Act to ban hair-based discrimination in Illinois schools, according to his campaign website.
“I’ve got a track record in the Illinois senate now,” Simmons said, adding that he’s ready to move up to the federal government to combat the Trump administration while addressing affordability in the 9th District. […]
Simmons said people in the district are tired of “complacent Democrats,” and that he plans on turning his goals into action instead of making empty promises.
* The North Shore Record…
“We need some changes,” Phil Andrew told The Record on Tuesday, the day he announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress.
Andrew, a Democrat who lives in Wilmette, is the latest to enter the race to lead the 9th Congressional District, which will need a new representative when longtime U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky retires at the end of her current and 14th term. […]
Andrew said the district does not need another career politician. Instead, it needs leaders who can get things done in a “moment of crisis,” which he said describes the current state of the nation under the Trump administration.
“It is about leading in crisis,” Andrew told The Record. “We really need more than words. We need action right now.” […]
“They’re really tired of the typical political approach, signing onto letters and a lot of talk without a lot of action. … I think people really want somebody who can work with people from across the spectrum to get things done.”
* Related…
* KWQC | Rockford native to run for Illinois 17th District: Montez Soliz of Rockford announced his campaign on Monday to run for the Illinois’ 17th Congressional District as a Democrat. The seat is held by a fellow Rockford native, Eric Sorensen, since 2023. In a media release, Soliz said the race is “a turning point for a generation ready to lead, ready to act, and ready to build a future we all deserve.” Soliz said he would stand for “everyday people.”
- Northsider - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 10:00 am:
Coinciding with the blizzard of announcements for IL-9’s mega-primary, Doonesbury is rerunning its strips from the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 10:42 am:
“Porter told your Playbook host, adding he’s still in the “testing the waters phase” of running for Senate.”
He will find them deep and quite unaccommodating come the general.
W. and Quayle are moderate Democrats in today’s GOP.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 10:54 am:
Okay, I am backing Laura - but Phil Andrew is pretty intriguing.
- Johnny B - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 10:58 am:
And who are the moderate Democrats in today’s Democratic Party?
Bill Clinton was a centrist, pragmatist who worked with Republicans
placed time limits and added work requirements to welfare
increased funding for law enforcement, expanded death penalty and was tough on violent crime
closed the border
He would be very lonely in today’s Democratic party
- Banish Misfortune - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 11:09 am:
It’s sort of fun to be in a district with a real race for once. I was a fan of Schakowsky, and at this point a fan of Laura Fine, a responsible sensible legislator. Definitely opposed to Biss, he has been a consistent disappointment as mayor and has proven he is not a person of principle and is very willing to go against the public interest in favor of the wealthy. When he was a state senator he was ok, but proved to be weak,
I agree Andrew is interesting, I remember well that day as I picked my child up from school, it looks like he has had a successful and worthwhile career. The other candidates seem so much noise- but I am still ready to listen. Not interested in blow-ins though.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 11:27 am:
“He would be very lonely in today’s Democratic party”
Sure.
That’s why his involvement and appearance at major Democratic fundraisers and campaign events are still wildly sought after.
Slick, Fox News ain’t the real world.
- BigLou - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 12:30 pm:
No comments on Donna Miller’s intro video. Is everyone underwhelmed by it? I look forward to JJJ’s video if he enters the race. Fingers cross he is wearing that Fedora he bought.
- ste_with a v_en - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 12:32 pm:
Can’t wait for Richard Porter to be Richard Irvin 2.0.
He’ll lose to a more Trumpy candidate
- Polibug - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 12:40 pm:
While Phil has an interesting back story, I’m finding it hard to see how he makes the ballot. Not impossible, but also not probable. I still think, in the end, this is ultimately a race between Biss and Fine.
- LeofromDolton - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 12:50 pm:
==No comments on Donna Miller’s intro video.==
Did her staff film it on an iPhone? Yesterday’s post of the Phil Andrew video is the bar people will have to meet if they want to be taken seriously.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 1:01 pm:
===I’m finding it hard to see how he makes the ballot.===
You don’t think he can get 1,200 good signatures that survive a challenge?
I agree that Biss and Fine have some built in advantages that give them a boost. But in many ways they are the same person. Somebody who stands out from the pack could catch lightening in a bottle. Somebody who appeals to the western portion of the district could easily find a path in a crowded race. This is going to be a fun race to watch.
- JoeMaddon - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 1:03 pm:
** Somebody who appeals to the western portion of the district could easily find a path in a crowded race.**
I’m very curious what you think the Democratic primary voters are in the western part of the district.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 1:07 pm:
===I’m very curious what you think the Democratic primary voters are in the western part of the district.===
I’m not overstating the number of D votes out there, but it is more than zero and whatever it is should be up for grabs. What I see so far is a lot of candidates focused on the lakefront, with the standard liberal lakefront messaging. That vote can get split 4-5 ways, easily.
- Polibug - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 1:49 pm:
== But in many ways they are the same person.==
From what I’ve seen on social media of their speeches, Biss and Fine are very much not the same. What they are fighting for and how they are presenting themselves seems very different. If you look at policies in this race, every candidate seems to be closely aligned, so I’m looking at this front more of a different lens.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 2:44 pm:
Biss and Fine differ a bit on foreign policy and Laura is much more open on her faith and support of Israel than Daniel has been. Kat has attacked her over it before. There is a difference. That won Laura my vote.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 3:00 pm:
==Richard Porter, a battle-hardened Republican Party loyalist==
Is he running for general or Senator? What “battles” has he been hardened by? (and, is that the Politico reporter’s characterization or how Porter describes himself? This is been bugging me since I read it this morning…) Also, what “battles” does he plan to engage in; the Republicans control all of the branches of the Federal gov’t for now.
==Porter sees an opening for himself and the Illinois Republican Party by blending establishment savvy with MAGA fealty.==
“MAGA fealty”? Fealty? Is this a democracy or a dictatorship? (Again, is this Porter’s self-characterization or the Politico reporter’s description?)
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 3:04 pm:
Pot, it’s your own fault for taking that stuff seriously. /s
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 3:22 pm:
==Pot, it’s your own fault for taking that stuff seriously.==
lol I’m mostly curious about whether it’s how Porter describes himself or if it’s the Politico reporter’s hyperbole. If it’s the former, this should be fun; if it’s the latter - it’s why I don’t take Politico seriously.
- NIU Grad - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 4:03 pm:
From Kathy Salvi to Richard Porter, the ILGOP is the party of the future!
- JoeMaddon - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 4:39 pm:
**What I see so far is a lot of candidates focused on the lakefront, with the standard liberal lakefront messaging.**
Do you talk to Dem primary voters in the western part of the district? Did you also think that Gil would win the western part of CD3? But here’s a spoiler… Delia won Wheaton in that primary.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 4:59 pm:
Joe, I looked up some numbers from the last primary, hardly a scientific effort, but found roughly 6000+, or 10% of Jan’s primary voters, were in Lake and McHenry counties. She was uncontested. And this year we have a US Senate primary along with a super crowded field in the 9th. My guess is that 6,000 votes is the floor, not the ceiling, for 2026.
Only a fool would ignore these voters at this point in the race.
- Polibug - Wednesday, Jul 9, 25 @ 5:02 pm:
I’ve seen some social media of Kat, Biss, and Fine being out at McHenry County events. And Fine has some Lake County endorsements already so I think some of the campaigns are already focusing on Lake and McHenry. You are right, 47th Ward, definitely some votes to be had.