Daniel Biss Wins Democratic Nomination for Illinois House Seat

The Evanston mayor emerged from a crowded field focused on disagreements over Israel policy.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 2:37am

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Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, won the Democratic nomination for a congressional district that includes northern suburbs of Chicago. Biss, a former state senator, was an early front-runner in the race to replace longtime incumbent Representative Jan Schakowsky, who is retiring. The crowded contest featured more than a dozen candidates and was dominated by disagreements over Israel policy, with Biss occupying a middle ground between more conservative and more critical positions.

Why it matters

The Ninth District is a heavily gerrymandered but generally liberal and highly educated district with a significant Jewish population, making the candidates' stances on Israel a central issue. Biss's victory sets him up as the likely winner in the November general election, potentially shifting the balance of power in the House.

The details

Biss faced competition from candidates like Kat Abughazaleh, a content creator who argued for an end to U.S. military support for Israel, and Laura Fine, a state senator who said aid should not be conditional. Super PACs with ties to the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC spent millions trying to influence the race. Biss, who is Jewish and the grandson of Holocaust survivors, was the subject of negative ads from these groups despite occupying a middle ground on Israel policy.

  • Biss has been Evanston's mayor since 2021.
  • The Democratic primary took place on March 17, 2026.

The players

Daniel Biss

The mayor of Evanston, Illinois, and a former state senator who won the Democratic nomination for the Ninth Congressional District.

Jan Schakowsky

The Democratic incumbent in the Ninth District who is retiring after nearly three decades in office.

Kat Abughazaleh

A content creator and former researcher for a left-wing media organization who was a front-runner in the race and argued that Israel's actions in Gaza amounted to genocide.

Laura Fine

A state senator who took a more conservative position, saying that U.S. aid to Israel should not be conditional.

AIPAC

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a powerful pro-Israel lobbying organization that spent millions trying to influence the primary contest.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

Biss is favored to win the general election in November against the Republican nominee.

The takeaway

Biss's victory in the Democratic primary highlights the importance of Israel policy in the heavily gerrymandered but liberal Ninth District, and sets him up as the likely next representative from the district.