Crowded Primaries for Open Federal Seats in Illinois

Competitive Democratic races for U.S. Senate, House, and state comptroller as several longtime incumbents retire.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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With several veteran Democratic members of Congress and the state comptroller deciding not to run for re-election, the upcoming Illinois primary elections on March 17 feature an unusually high number of open seats. This has led to crowded fields of Democratic candidates vying for these political plums, with the campaigns becoming increasingly negative as the primary approaches.

Why it matters

The large number of open seats at the federal and state level in Illinois is historic, providing opportunities for new political talent to emerge but also leading to heated intra-party battles. The outcomes of these primaries will shape the balance of power in Congress and in Springfield for years to come.

The details

Ten candidates are running to replace retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and 9th Congressional District Representative Jan Schakowsky. In other open House races, the 8th District has 8 Democratic candidates, the 2nd District has 10, and the 7th District has 13. The 9th District, which includes parts of Cook and Lake counties, has 15 Democrats and 4 Republicans running. There is also a rare open race for Illinois Comptroller, with 4 Democrats vying to replace Susana Mendoza.

  • The Illinois primary elections will be held on March 17, 2026.
  • Several long-serving Democratic incumbents, including U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and 9th District Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, are retiring this election cycle.

The players

Dick Durbin

Retiring U.S. Senator from Illinois.

Jan Schakowsky

Retiring U.S. Representative for Illinois's 9th Congressional District.

Raja Krishnamoorthi

U.S. Representative for Illinois's 8th Congressional District.

Robin Kelly

U.S. Representative for Illinois's 2nd Congressional District.

Juliana Stratton

Lieutenant Governor of Illinois.

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What they’re saying

“Few people can hate one another with more cordial enthusiasm than a bunch of Democrats.”

— Allen Drury, Author (Chicago Tribune)

What’s next

The Illinois primary elections will be held on March 17, 2026, where voters will choose the Democratic and Republican nominees for the open federal and state seats.

The takeaway

The large number of open seats in Illinois this election cycle is providing opportunities for new political talent to emerge, but also leading to heated intra-party battles as Democrats fight to control these critical positions. The outcomes of these primaries will shape the balance of power in Congress and in Springfield for years to come.