Latest news with #2ndCongressionalDistrict
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
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.
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
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.
Politico
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
The next step for Alabama's congressional maps
TOP LINE When a federal court in Alabama last week ruled that the state's 2023 congressional map violated the Voting Rights Act because it diluted the voices of Black voters, groups that were challenging the map hailed the decision as 'triumph for voting rights.' Where the case goes next could be hugely consequential. While some voting rights advocates fear what the Supreme Court could do if the case is appealed, others see a review by the nation's highest court as a chance to impose federal bounds on Alabama's future maps. In many ways, the three-judge district court panel from Alabama ruled precisely how the groups had hoped. In the 571-page ruling, the panel said it was 'not a close call' that Alabama had drawn a congressional map that is an illegal racial gerrymander, violating section two of the Voting Rights Act. 'It would be remarkable — indeed, unprecedented — for us to hold that a state legislature that purposefully ignored a federal court order acted in good faith,' the judges wrote in their ruling, which was released on Thursday. That map was never actually used in an election, after earlier court decisions blocked it. Instead, a court-drawn map was used last year, and now-Rep. Shomari Figures won in the redrawn 2nd Congressional District, giving Alabama two Black Democrats in its delegation. But there are likely more fights ahead. Legal challenges related to congressional maps have a direct line of appeal to the Supreme Court, and some voting rights advocates worry the court could use the case to further weaken the Voting Rights Act. The Alabama attorney general's office has said that 'all options remain on the table,' and Secretary of State Wes Allen told NPR that he 'can't comment on ongoing litigation in which I'm a named defendant.' Washington University in St. Louis law professor Travis Crum, an expert on voting rights, said an appeal — which he called a matter of 'when, not if' — could provide Alabama 'another bite of the apple' to go after parts of the VRA, specifically issues related to race-based redistricting. The Supreme Court has so far agreed that Alabama's earlier map was racially biased, ruling in 2023 that it had to redraw the 2021 map. The legislature then drew the 2023 map — the one currently being challenged — that still did not include a second majority-Black district. That then prompted a federal court to reject that map and impose the one used last year. But the Supreme Court could rule the same way again, continuing to find the legislature's 2023 map proposal racially discriminatory. After all, Crum noted, the state legislature had refused the court mandate to draw a second majority-Black district: 'Alabama's response was essentially the jurisprudential equivalent of a middle finger.' So even with a Supreme Court that has narrowed the power of the VRA in the past, Crum is optimistic. He thinks that last week's lower-court court ruling has actually opened the door for the justices to do something else instead: use the VRA to require Alabama to have future congressional maps pre-approved by the federal government before they can go into effect. 'This is an ideal case for a bail-in to go to the Supreme Court,' Crum argued in a recent blog post. Happy Monday. Get in touch: @andrewjfhoward or ahoward@ Days until the New Jersey primary: 29 Days until the Virginia primary: 36 Days until the New York City primary: 43 Days until the 2025 election: 176 Days until the midterms: 539 A NEW ERA FOR PLAYBOOK: Big news from POLITICO's flagship morning newsletter in Washington: Today we launch The Playbook Podcast, hosted by Author and Managing Editor Jack Blanchard and newly named Playbook Chief Correspondent Dasha Burns. Jack has already been skillfully decoding politics, policy and power in Washington, and now with Dasha, a proven force on the Trump beat, will deliver across platforms what makes Playbook essential: a clear, aggressively nonpartisan and deeply reported distillation of what matters now and why. Also joining the team: Adam Wren as Contributing Author for Playbook's Friday and Saturday editions, adding insight and sharp political reporting to your weekend reads. Sign up now to get Playbook delivered straight to your inbox. Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. CAMPAIGN INTEL AT THE DNC — DNC Chair Ken Martin on Saturday doubled down on his ultimatum for rogue Vice Chair David Hogg: Take a neutrality pledge or step down, my colleague Ben Johansen reports. The statement comes hours after it was reported by POLITICO that Hogg privately pitched a compromise to his party in recent days. OVER THE WEEKEND — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) announced Friday evening that she was ruling out a Senate bid, following the same decision from Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. The moves 'were some of the first dominoes to fall ahead of the 2026 midterms — and come the week the starting gun for those races sounded,' my colleague Adam Wren reported in Saturday's Playbook. … 'Trump Is Already Obsessed With the Midterms,' POLITICO's Rachael Bade reported over the weekend. … Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins told CNN's Manu Raju and Sarah Ferris 'it's certainly my inclination to run and I'm preparing to do so,' when asked if she will be on the ballot in 2026. Democrats have yet to recruit a high-profile challenger to run against the incumbent senator. … 'GOP Senate Campaign Drama Heats Up, but Trump Is Staying Out of It,' by the Wall Street Journal's Josh Dawsey and Lindsay Wise. 'As the 2026 races start to shape up, Trump has largely rebuffed efforts from Senate Republicans to endorse favored primary candidates and influence competitive contests, according to lawmakers, strategists and others familiar with the discussions.' SUNDAY RECAP — Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar told 'Meet the Press' that Democrats would have been 'better served by a primary' in 2024. 'You know, everything we look at in a rearview mirror after you lose an election. Yes, we would have been served better by a primary. But we are where we are,' she told NBC's Kristen Welker. BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE — '18 months out, these are the 10 most vulnerable House members of 2026,' by Roll Call's Daniela Altimari and Mary Ellen McIntire. OFF TO THE RACES — State Sen. Jason Pizzo, who recently proclaimed the Florida Democratic Party 'dead' before leaving it, said he will run for governor as an independent in 2026, my colleague Gary Fineout reports. 'Everyone else already in the gubernatorial mix has severe and prohibitive baggage, or vast limitations, in leading this state,' Pizzo told Fineout in a text. … Democratic Michigan state Rep. Joe Tate is jumping into the crowded primary for the state's open Senate seat, per the Associated Press' Isabella Volmert. CASH DASH — 'Trump, Raking In Cash, Expands His Power in the G.O.P. Money World,' by The New York Times' Theodore Schleifer and Shane Goldmacher. Two of the largest Republican super PACs — the Congressional Leadership Fund and the Senate Leadership Fund — 'are working closer than ever with the White House, overhauling their boards of directors and installing veteran Trump strategists in senior positions.' BIDEN WORLD — Following Joe Biden's return to the spotlight last week, some Democrats are hoping the former president doesn't stay in the limelight for long. 'It's time for Joe Biden to go away with all due respect and let the next generation of Democrats take the mantle,' Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha told POLITICO's Brakkton Booker. … ''Pod Save America' host Jon Favreau advised Democrats who aspire to run for president in 2028 to 'rip the f‑‑‑ing Band-Aid off' and say that former President Biden shouldn't have run last year,' the Hill's Filip Timotija reports. TAKING A LOOK — Oklahoma Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters is considering running for governor in 2026, he told a local ABC affiliate. LEGAL CORNER — 'Riggs won NC's Supreme Court battle, but elections will face long-term consequences,' by the News & Observer's Kyle Ingram. FIRST IN SCORE — STAFFING UP: The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee announced seven additions to its board on Monday. They are California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Colorado Senate President James Coleman, Illinois Speaker Pro Temp Kambium Buckner, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, Oregon House Speaker Julie Fahey, Virginia House Speaker Don Scott and Wisconsin Assembly Democratic Leader Greta Neubauer. CODA — HEADLINE OF THE DAY: 'Judges say unsolicited pizza deliveries are meant to intimidate them,' by the Washington Post's Derek Hawkins.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DFL Sen. Matt Klein announces run for 2nd Congressional District
Sen. Matt Klein, DFL-Mendota Heights, presents the sports betting bill to the State and Local Government Committee February 13, 2025. The bill failed to pass on a 6-6 tie vote. Photo by A.J. Olmscheid/Senate Media Services. Minnesota Sen. Matt Klein, DFL-Mendota Heights, a Mayo doctor first elected to the Legislature in 2016, announced Tuesday he's running for Rep. Angie Craig's congressional seat in the 2nd District. 'As a senator, I've worked across the aisle to pass common sense laws that protect Minnesotans from financial fraud and predatory lending, lower prescription drug costs by holding Big Pharma accountable, defend reproductive freedom, and make life more affordable for working families,' Klein said in a statement. The 2nd Congressional District is Minnesota's most competitive, but Craig's centrist politics has helped her win four consecutive elections in the purple south metro district. In 2024, she won by double digit percentage points despite Republicans' nationwide success. She recently announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate. Klein currently serves as the chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. Most recently, Klein has championed legislation to legalize online sports betting in Minnesota, but that effort has stalled again this year. He's also a vocal proponent of passing a revolving door ban, which would bar lawmakers from becoming lobbyists immediately after leaving office. Klein, a married father of five, grew up in the east metro and attended the Mayo Medical School. Klein helped Gov. Tim Walz during his 2022 reelection by sharply calling out Walz's GOP opponent, fellow physician Scott Jensen, who had raised doubts about the severity of the pandemic and the necessity of universal vaccination. Former DFL Sen. Matt Little is also running for the 2nd Congressional District seat. Businessman and internet poster Mike Norton is exploring a run. Other potential candidates include GOP state Sen. Eric Pratt; 2024 GOP nominee Joe Teirab; and 2020 and 2022 GOP nominee Tyler Kistner.
Winnipeg Free Press
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage to run for Congress in Trump-friendly district held by Democrat Golden
LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage, an early supporter of President Donald Trump's first successful White House bid and a polarizing figure in state politics, said Monday he is running for Congress in a competitive district. LePage, a Republican who was governor from 2011 to 2019 and lost a bid for another term in 2022, filed papers late Sunday to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Jared Golden. The district is politically mixed, as voters have sent Golden to Washington four times in a row while also supporting President Donald Trump in three consecutive presidential elections. LePage, 76, brought Maine into the national spotlight as governor with incendiary statements about out-of-state drug dealers impregnating 'young white' girls and a political rival he said would 'give it to the people without providing Vaseline.' He also described himself as 'Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular' and threw support behind the future president in 2016. LePage made support for Trump less of a focus in his failed 2022 bid for governor, but said in a Monday statement that 'entrenched interests are fighting President Trump at every turn as he works to fix problems.' He also vowed to fight 'extreme woke policies that defy common sense,' protect the 2nd Amendment and create jobs. Golden, 42, served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives for four years while LePage was governor. A spokesperson for Golden said the congressman is prioritizing protecting Maine's fishing communities, fighting Republican-led health care cuts and working to secure jobs at the Bath Iron Works shipyard and is not focusing on reelection. Golden said in a Monday statement: 'I thought Paul was doing his best work in retirement.' LePage initially moved from Maine after leaving the governor's office in 2019 and took up residence in Florida. He then re-established residence in Maine. His bid to unseat Mills in 2022 would have made him the longest-serving governor in Maine history. Regardless of who the candidates are, the 2nd Congressional District in Maine will be one of the most-watched House races in the country in 2026 because Republicans hold a slim majority in the chamber and the district is one of the most competitive. Golden narrowly won reelection over Republican Austin Theriault last year.
