Daniel Biss, Evanston Mayor, Defeats Gen-Z Candidate in Illinois Congressional Primary

The policy-focused progressive prevailed in a closely watched race that tested generational divides in a reliably blue district.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 4:23am

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Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston and a former Illinois state representative and senator, narrowly defeated 26-year-old Kat Abughazaleh in Tuesday's Democratic primary for Illinois' 9th Congressional District. Biss, 48, has a long history in North Shore politics and built a reputation as a progressive focused on issues like campaign finance reform, voting access, and structural changes to government. He ran for governor in 2018 but lost the Democratic nomination. As mayor of Evanston, Biss has taken visible stands on federal immigration enforcement and supported progressive policies like a local reparations program. In the congressional primary, Biss leaned heavily on his governing record, presenting himself as an experienced hand ready to deliver at the federal level.

Why it matters

The race between Biss and Abughazaleh tested generational divides within the Democratic party, with the younger Abughazaleh representing a new wave of progressive voices while Biss embodied the party's more established political figures. Biss' victory suggests that experience and a focus on policy can still resonate with voters, even in a reliably blue district where younger, more online-savvy candidates are gaining traction.

The details

Biss, a mathematician by training with a Ph.D. from MIT, served in the Illinois House and Senate from 2011 to 2019, where he built a reputation as a policy-driven progressive. As mayor of Evanston since 2021, he has taken stands on issues like federal immigration enforcement and advanced progressive policies like a local reparations program. In the congressional primary, Biss presented himself as an experienced hand ready to deliver at the federal level, leaning on his governing record and longstanding relationships in Democratic political circles. However, his campaign was shadowed in its final hours by a personal disclosure about an 'ill-advised' relationship with a former student from his time as a 26-year-old instructor at the University of Chicago in 2004.

  • Biss was elected mayor of Evanston in 2021.
  • In December 2025, Biss confronted U.S. Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino and federal agents during an operation in Evanston.
  • On Tuesday, March 18, 2026, as voters were heading to the polls, Biss acknowledged the 'ill-advised' relationship from 2004.

The players

Daniel Biss

The 48-year-old mayor of Evanston and a former Illinois state representative and senator, who has a reputation as a policy-driven progressive focused on issues like campaign finance reform, voting access, and structural changes to government.

Kat Abughazaleh

A 26-year-old former journalist who gained a national following for her reporting on right-wing extremism, and who offered a sharp contrast to Biss in the congressional primary.

Greg Bovino

The U.S. Border Patrol chief who was confronted by Biss during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Evanston in December 2025.

J.B. Pritzker

The current governor of Illinois, who defeated Biss in the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Jan Schakowsky

The retiring U.S. Representative for Illinois' 9th Congressional District, whom Biss credited as instrumental to his primary victory.

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What they’re saying

“This has been a heck of a race. This is a pivotal moment for our country.”

— Daniel Biss, Evanston Mayor and Congressional Candidate

“Are we going to concede in advance or are we going to fight? Are we going to double down on our progressive values or are we going to shrink away from protecting the most vulnerable?”

— Daniel Biss, Evanston Mayor and Congressional Candidate

“The Ninth District is not for sale. So enough about AIPAC, may tonight be the last time I utter their name.”

— Daniel Biss, Evanston Mayor and Congressional Candidate

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This race highlights the ongoing tensions within the Democratic party between established political figures and a new generation of progressive voices. Biss' victory suggests that experience and a focus on policy can still resonate with voters, even in a reliably blue district where younger, more online-savvy candidates are gaining traction.