Amid retirement reports, Schakowsky says she’ll announce decision May 5
Despite media reports that she won’t seek reelection next year, veteran Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston on Wednesday said she hasn’t made up her mind but will announce her intentions soon.
Schakowsky, who is in her 14th term representing Illinois’ 9th District, plans to announce she won’t run in 2026, Politico reported Wednesday. A few hours later, Schakowsky issued a brief statement on social media implying the Politico report is premature.
“I will make that decision in the coming weeks and announce on May 5,” she said.
Schakowsky is scheduled to host her annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch that day at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.
Schakowsky, who turns 81 in May, first was elected to the U.S. House in 1998 after eight years as a state legislator. She’s served in Congress longer than any member of the Illinois delegation other than U.S. Rep. Danny Davis of Chicago.
The 9th District includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties. It stretches diagonally between the North Shore and the Crystal Lake area.
Considered one of the more progressive members of Congress, Schakowsky hasn’t faced a serious opponent from either major party in years. This past November, Schakowsky got more than 68% of the vote against a Republican opponent who was appointed by the GOP to run against her because no one stood up in the primary.
Schakowsky’s anticipated retirement surely will set off a flurry of campaign announcements for her seat from the North Shore and Northwest suburbs. A few candidates already have surfaced.
Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old internet personality and former journalist who relocated to Chicago from New York last year, announced in late March that she’ll run for the Democratic nomination in the 9th District. Abughazaleh lives in the neighboring 5th District but intends to move into the 9th.
Abughazaleh received $378,596 in donations by March 31, the end of the year’s first quarter, Federal Election Commission records show. Her team ended March with $363,610 in the bank.
The Schakowsky for Congress campaign committee started January with $847,974 in the bank and collected about $213,041 during the quarter. It ended March with about $877,403 in the bank.
Chicago Democrat David Abrevaya and Island Lake Republican Rocio Cleveland have submitted candidate statements to the FEC for the seat, but neither has filed financial reports.