* The Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC has endorsed Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) for the 2nd Congressional District…

Today, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC (CPC PAC) announced it has endorsed Illinois state Senator Robert Peters in the March 17th primary for Illinois’s 2nd Congressional District. […]

Over the past three election cycles, the CPC PAC has raised over $13 million and invested in progressive candidates across the country. Over the decade, a majority of CPC PAC’s preprimary endorsements have gone on to win their race in the general election. In 2024, the CPC was the only ideological caucus to send new members to Congress in 50% or more of races in which its affiliated PAC made a pre-primary endorsement. The Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC has a mission of electing strong progressive leaders to Congress who share the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC’s vision for America’s future.

* Yesterday, Sen. Willie Preston (D-Chicago) kicked off his campaign for the 2nd CD in Danville. Vermilion County First…

With Illinois District 2 Congresswoman Robin Kelly running in 2026 to replace the retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, some interested Democrats have thus far declared their candidacies to replace Kelly in the House of Representatives. One of them, Illinois 16th District State Senator Willie Preston, arrived in Danville to introduce himself on Wednesday (August 20th) morning.

Preston, who represents portions of Chicago and nearby suburbs in the Illinois Senate, said he wanted to start in the southernmost part of the district to let Vermilion County know he intends to represent everybody. He calls Illinois’s District 2 a “mirror of the country” with its urban and rural diversity. Preston says his family has a rural background in its history, having migrated from the fields of Mississippi. He says everybody counts.

“I want to demonstrate from the beginning that it’s not to me about politics, so much as “we want to win this election, so we’re going to stay where most of the vote is.” No; every single person inside the 2nd Congressional District deserves representation,” Preston said. […]

“It’s important to remember that 267 members of Congress today are former state senators and former state representatives.” Preston said. “There’s a reason for that. And that reason is because this is the perfect training to be able to become an effective Congressman.”

* Politico…

In IL-09: Sam Polan, a former policy adviser with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, is running as a Democrat for Congress in the 9th District. He served in the Army Air Defense and was later selected for special operations and deployed three times to the Middle East.

“We are at an inflection point where our Democratic leaders have also failed us — failed to stop the Trump attacks, failed to put up candidates with fresh ideas that excite voters and failed to provide a clear vision,” Polan said in his launch announcement. “We can’t keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. We need a new generation of leadership.

— In IL-07: Danica Leigh, the former chief of staff of clinical affairs at the University of Chicago, is running on the Democratic ticket for Congress in the 7th District. In launching her bid, Leigh notes that she “was fired” because of her political campaign. “I’m running anyway because I don’t believe we’ll get through this moment in our country’s history without personal sacrifice,” she said.

In a statement, the university said it “does not comment on individual personnel matters” but acknowledged that it adheres to rules on conflict of interest that a “candidacy for elected political office is generally incompatible with active full-time university employment.” The university may offer an employee who has decided to run for office the opportunity to take a leave of absence.

* Background is here if you need it. The fried chicken fight continues. Evanston Now…

The tax exempt status of the Heartwood Center — which has been leading the fight against a proposed Popeyes restaurant in Evanston — is being challenged by a neighbor.

Adam Finlayson, who lives at 1216 Darrow Ave., about a block from the site of the proposed restaurant, filed formal complaints Wednesday with the Internal Revenue Service, the state attorney general and the county board of review.

He alleges the center has misused a religious tax exemption by leasing office space to health practitioners and renting apartments in buildings it owns. […]

Finlayson, who is supporting supporting Mayor Daniel Biss in his race to succeed Jan Schakowsky in Congress, also raised questions over Heartwood’s invitation to congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, who appeared and spoke at the Popeyes protest last week. […]

In his complaint, Finlayson described Heartwood’s invitation of Abughazaleh to the protest as a violation of tax-exemption laws, which say organizations are “absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.”

Abughazaleh tried to spin her Popeyes protest appearance after taking some heat…

* KWQC…

Republican Julie Bickelhaupt announced she is running for Congress in Illinois’ 17th District on Monday.

Bickelhaupt’s campaign will focus on the rising cost of living, protecting agriculture and strengthening education, according to a media release.

“Families here are being crushed by rising costs, unsafe streets, and politicians in Washington who put their radical agendas ahead of our interests,” Bickelhaupt said in the release. “I’ll fight to lower costs on everything from energy to health care, defend our jobs, and make sure Illinois families have a fair shot at a better life.”

Bickelhaupt and her family run a seventh-generation cattle and grain farm near Mount Carroll, officials said. She also manages HR for her family’s insurance business.