Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss announced his campaign for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District in a Thursday morning news release. The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston), who announced her retirement this month.
The mayor has emphasized countering the Trump administration’s agenda — most recently at the State of the City address Wednesday — and plans to continue that work in a potential congressional term.
“I am running for Congress to stand up to Donald Trump and his MAGA cronies. I’ve never backed down from a fight, and I’ve won some big ones — on LGBTQ+ rights, campaign finance reform, protecting abortion access, defending the environment, and more,” Biss said in the news release. “In Congress, I’ll take on billionaires and corporate power, lower costs for working families, and fight tooth and nail to protect our civil rights.”
State Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) and content creator Kat Abughazaleh have already announced their candidacies for the seat. Multiple Chicago Democrats, and Rocio Cleveland, an Island Lake Republican, have also filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and launched campaign websites.
Biss previously served in the Illinois House and state Senate. He ran an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid in 2018. In April, he won reelection for mayor, beating out challenger Jeff Boarini with 63% of the vote.
Throughout his tenure, Biss has championed many progressive initiatives, including updates to the city’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and the passage of a Healthy Buildings Ordinance, which aims to curb carbon emissions. He also touted a strengthened Welcoming City Ordinance, codifying greater protections for Evanston immigrants regardless of citizenship status.
Yet, Biss has faced vocal backlash for his tie-breaking vote in the Ryan Field commercial rezoning process and for the expedited timeline of Envision Evanston 2045, the city’s comprehensive plan and rezoning overhaul.
Still, he said in the news release that he aims to take a stand against “MAGA extremists.”
“Enough is enough,” Biss said in the news release. “I have taken on and beaten big corporations and powerful interests, and I’m not afraid to stand up to anyone who threatens our public services, our civil liberties, or our democracy. No more backing down before the fight even starts, and no more obeying in advance.”
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Related Stories:
— State Sen. Laura Fine launches congressional campaign
— U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky will not seek 15th term, capping a career of progressive advocacy
