Miller, Ford, Bean, Biss Win Open Democratic House Seats
Evanston Mayor and former Senator Daniel Biss speaks to supporters after wining the 9th Congressional District nomination Tuesday night. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
Four contested, expensive, sometimes controversial, and sometimes nasty Democratic primaries for open House seats in the suburbs were settled Tuesday night.
In the 2nd District, stretching from the southside of Chicago all the way south to Danville and Rantoul was captured by Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller. Miller was boosted in the race by significant spending from a PAC associated with the America Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC.
“The voters of the 2nd Congressional District sent a message tonight that you will choose your representation in Washington,” Miller said at her watch party in suburban Chicago Heights. “You will send someone who knows the issues. You will send someone who actually lives in the 2nd Congressional District to focus on the issues that matter in this district.”
Miller beat back a comeback attempt from former Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., who spent 17 months in federal prison after he resigned from Congress in 2012. Two midterm state senators, Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago), and Sen. Willie Preston (D-Chicago) fell short in the race.
Miller is the wife of former Rep. David Miller.
Rep. LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago), the choice of outgoing Congressman Danny Davis (D-Chicago), won the nomination for the 7th Congressional District. Ford outlasted Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin in a roughly 24% to 20.5% race.
“This campaign has always been about the people at the bottom,” Ford said. “Nothing is going to change. We’re going to unite for the people at the bottom, not the people with money, but the people at the bottom.”
Former Congresswoman Melissa Bean, who was also boosted by AIPAC spending, recaptured the Democratic nomination in the 8th Congressional district, narrowly defeating progressive Junaid Ahmed.
In the highest profile congressional race, Evanston Mayor and former state senator Daniel Biss won the Democratic nomination over progressive insurgent Abughazaleh and Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview).
Biss overcame AIPAC spending directed at him.
“AIPAC found out the hard way,” Biss said. “The 9th District is not for sale.”
