US Rep. Jan Schakowsky, congresswoman since 1999, announces she will not seek another term next year

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Chicago Tribune

UPDATED: May 5, 2025 at 5:46 PM CDT


U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who represented a Far North Side and north and northwest suburban district in Congress for more than 2½ decades, announced Monday that she will not seek a 15th term next year.

“This is the official — that I’m not going to run again for Congress,” Schakowsky said to a crowd of about 1,000 people attending an Ultimate Women’s Power Luncheon event she hosted at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Hotel. “As much as I love and have loved being in the Congress of the United States, such an incredible, incredible privilege to work with the people of the district, to learn from them, to be an organizer, to be a fighter — well, that will never end. But I have made the decision that I am not going to seek reelection this time.”

The move marks the end of an era for a reliably Democratic district that Schakowsky, 80, of Evanston, has represented since 1999 after soundly defeating two opponents, including JB Pritzker, in an open-seat primary. Before her, Sidney Yates held the seat for 24 terms, almost 50 years.

Her retirement will undoubtedly set off a series of political maneuvers. Even before Schakowsky’s announcement, a social media content creator had declared candidacy for the seat: 26-year-old Kat Abughazaleh, a progressive critic of the far right who moved to Illinois last year and outraised Schakowsky in the first quarter. Abughazaleh will almost certainly be joined by a field of Democratic hopefuls that could include Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, state Sen. Laura Fine, state Rep. Hoan Huynh and others.

Read more: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/05/05/jan-schakowsky-announcement/

[mopinko]

1. dan shd keep his day job.

if jan has ANYTHING to say about it, her successor will b a woman. and she will b a force in the primary. she knows how to get ppl elected.
and personally, i like dan, but he isnt what we need now. he’s a quiet kind of guy. we need a flame thrower.
and i sure dont want this district to b like evanston. i call it nannytown. they make laws about petty stuff that wd never fly in chicago.

[murielm99]

2. You like Dan. I don't.

He would have been a disaster as governor! I am so glad Pritzker won.

[mopinko]

3. that doesnt surprise me.

i did a bit of work for his 1st house run. i strongly suspect he’s on the spectrum. he’s very, very much like my son who is on the spectrum. he’s pretty shy. now is not the time for shy.

[murielm99]

4. I have so many friends and family on the spectrum

that I hardly notice any more.