Field grows for successors to Robin Kelly, 5 either running or exploring options
The field of potential successors to Robin Kelly as 2nd Congressional District representative is growing, with five people either announcing their candidacy or exploring a possible run.
This week, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller said she's formed an exploratory committee comprised of south suburban mayors to study her options.
Yumeka Brown, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and Matteson village clerk, said Tuesday she is a candidate after initially forming a group to explore a run. She is also president of the Rich Township Democrats.
Lynwood resident Eric France, whose father worked for several Chicago mayors, plans to announce his candidacy at a news conference Saturday in Burnham.
With Kelly running to replace U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who's not seeking reelection, Kelly's representative seat in Washington appears up for grabs, but with the primaries still nearly a year away the field of contenders could grow or shrink.
Kelly served in the Illinois House and won a special primary in 2013 for her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
State Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, had previously said he is a candidate for Kelly's House seat.
Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin has formed an exploratory committee to consider a run.
Miller, a Lynwood resident in her second term as 6th District commissioner, was elected to the Cook County Board in November 2018 after winning the Democratic primary that March.
Miller is vice president of the Illinois Democratic Women organization and former president of the Democratic Women of the South Suburbs.
She said Wednesday her exploratory committee is comprised of Dolton Mayor Jason House, Flossmoor Mayor Michelle Nelson, Homewood Mayor Rich Hofeld, Lynwood Mayor Jada Curry, Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa, Olympia Fields Mayor Sterling Burke and South Holland Mayor Don DeGraff.
The oddly shaped 2nd Congressional District stretches about 140 miles along the Lake Michigan shoreline and the Indiana border, from 43rd Street on Chicago's South Side to south of Danville in central Illinois.
The district includes all or parts of Blue Island, Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Country Club Hills, Dolton, Flossmoor, Glenwood, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Markham, Matteson, Monee, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Thornton and University Park.
If Kelly, a seven-term Democratic congresswoman from Matteson, stays in the Senate race, she would be unable to run for reelection in the House. She previously told the Chicago Tribune she won't circulate petititions later this year to run for another congressional term.
Chalmers-Currin, sworn in for her third term earlier this month, said she was working with business leaders and elected officials to study a possible bid for Kelly's job.
Peters took office as state senator in January 2019 to succeed Kwame Raoul, now state attorney general.
Peters' district is entirely in Chicago, taking in all or parts of communities including the East Side, Hyde Park, Kenwood and South Chicago.
France, of Lynwood, heads up The France Group, a management consulting firm started by his father, Erwin France.
Erwin France spent nearly 20 years in public service beginning in 1967 when former Mayor Richard J. Daley brought the St. Louis native to Chicago as one of his administrative assistants, according to a Chicago Tribune obituary.
He worked in consulting jobs with city agencies during the administrations of former Mayors Michael Bilandic, Jane Byrne and Harold Washington, according to the obituary.
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