Democrats running to represent Illinois’ 9th Congressional District discussed their priorities at a packed forum hosted by the West Ridge Action Network at the Warren Park Fieldhouse in Rogers Park Thursday evening.
The race’s leading contenders — Mayor Daniel Biss, progressive content creator Kat Abughazaleh, State Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview), State Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago), Skokie school board member Bushra Amiwala and former FBI negotiator Phil Andrew — were all in attendance and stressed the race’s importance.
“This moment begs for urgency,” said West Ridge Action Network Founder Veronica Arreola. “We need our leaders to be urgent in protecting and rebuilding a democracy we can be proud of, for community members to stay and become engaged in holding our elected officials accountable.”
In May, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) announced she would not seek reelection, opening up a coveted congressional seat for the first time in decades. Sixteen Democrats are slated to appear on their party’s ballot in the March 17 primary election.
Schakowsky endorsed Biss last week.
The winner of this fall’s general election will represent a district encompassing Evanston, Skokie, Glenview and Wilmette. The crowded primary has already generated several high-profile controversies, many of which were addressed in passing at the forum.
Earlier this week, Chicago 50th Ward Committeeperson Bruce Leon announced he would drop out of the race, endorsing Andrew.
This followed a months-long pressure campaign from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the country’s largest pro-Israel lobbying group, which has allegedly attempted to consolidate support around Fine.
AIPAC has not publicly endorsed Fine but has reportedly sent at least two fundraising emails on her behalf. In a statement to the Loyola Phoenix in October, the Fine campaign said she was not seeking endorsement from AIPAC “or any Jewish organization.”
During Thursday’s forum, the financial influence of lobbying groups and corporations was a major topic of conversation, but no candidate directly referenced AIPAC.
Each candidate, including Fine, emphasized that their campaigns are primarily funded by local individuals and groups.
“The funders and sources of money for my campaign can be answered in one word: the people,” Amiwala said.
The candidates also discussed how best to respond to increased federal immigration enforcement in the Chicago area.
In October, Abughazaleh was federally indicted for activities tied to a protest at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois. Abughazaleh has since pleaded not guilty to the charges.
She recounted her interactions with federal agents at Thursday’s forum, thanking her fellow candidates for joining her in protest at Broadview and calling their collective tear-gassing “a bonding experience.”
Fine said it was imperative to pass legislation to “unmask” ICE agents and counter their “reprehensible” actions. Many candidates, including Biss, Amiwala and Abughazaleh, went further and called for ICE to be abolished completely.
Abughazaleh called for more “creative” responses to federal immigration enforcement, such as impeaching federal officials and trying Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “at the Hague.”
“I personally believe that anyone with power, platform or privilege — and that especially includes members of Congress and the most powerful people in the world — they need to be willing to put everything on the line,” she said.
Candidates also tackled foreign policy issues like the Israel-Hamas war.
Most condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, and some, including Biss, called for a two-state solution. Fine’s position was less critical of Israel.
“I, too, believe in a two-state solution, where people in Gaza and people in Israel can live with self-determination and safety and in dignity,” Fine said. “But I think where I differ from my colleagues is I cannot believe in tying Israel’s hands right now because I’ve been to Israel, I’ve been in the bomb shelters, I’ve stood on the borders, and I’ve seen the threats coming from the other side.”
Candidates considered a slew of other issues, including how to reduce the cost of living and address increased political polarization.
Throughout the evening, many candidates described the current political moment as a “pivotal” time to counter the Trump administration, making the race all the more important.
“We are in an emergency, the likes of which would have been hard to believe even had it been described to us six months ago — fundamental attacks, our neighbors being kidnapped, people being shot by federal agents in broad daylight, the core of our values being dismantled before very eyes,” Biss said. “And so who we put in Congress matters a lot.”
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