CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Several local Democratic members of Congress easily overcame challenges in their primaries.
In the Fourth District, the incumbent Jesús "Chuy" García defeated 15th Ward Chicago Ald. Ray Lopez.
The congressman, who dominated in funding and endorsements, was facing his first primary challenger since 2018, when he won congressional office.
“We have unfinished business in Congress. We need to make sure that we keep building our infrastructure, creating more jobs, make the economy work for people, make things more affordable, whether it’s food or gas or the cost of cars or energy,” García told CBS-2.
Lopez had argued Garcia is no longer the right fit for the district, which is predominantly Hispanic and includes working-class communities and neighborhoods on the city’s southwest side as well as wealthy suburbs.
Garcia, 67, said voters have repeatedly put him in office, including in 2022 after a remap added new territory to the district.
In the Sixth District, incumbent Sean Casten overcame his two challengers.
In the Seventh District, Danny Davis fended off four challengers to win his primary.
Davis, who first took office in 1997, had faced questions about his fitness for office at age 82. He said those questions are fair but his experience is valuable, particularly for leadership on key committees. He’s a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Davis credited his strong support in the district, which includes downtown Chicago and neighborhoods on the south and west sides, along with some suburbs.
“Our roots are deep in this community and not just one area or one part of it,” he said in a telephone interview Tuesday evening. “We knew our people would rise to the occasion.”
The other well-known candidate in the race was Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, a former Davis ally who said it was time for him to be voted out. She had backing from prominent Black pastors and the powerful Chicago Teachers Union.
In the 11th District, incumbent Bill Foster won over Qasim Rashid, a Naperville human rights attorney, in the Democratic primary.
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram I TikTok