Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss won the Democratic primary in Illinois’ hotly contested 9th Congressional District, part of a divisive decision Tuesday night for progressives and moderates who fought bitterly in four Chicago-area House districts over a range of issues, including Israel policy.
In addition to Biss, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, state Rep. Law Shawn Ford and former Rep. Melissa Bean won the Democratic primaries in Illinois’ 2nd, 7th and 8th districts, respectively, according to NBC News. Miller and Bean raised millions of dollars in anonymous outside money that flooded three Chicagoland districts to boost more moderate Democratic candidates more supportive of Israel.
Check live results here
Bis, meanwhile, overcame similar spending aimed at cutting him off, as he criticized pro-Israel groups, accusing them of trying to put their thumb on the scale against him.
The three groups, which emerged in the final six weeks of the campaign and went to great lengths to hide the source of their funding until after the election, in the 9th District, Miller, Bean and state Sen. It spent more than $16 million boosting Laura Fine — and undercutting progressives, including Biss.
Progressives used anonymously funded ad campaigns as a rallying cry to motivate their supporters, fueling the race’s central split.
Biss wins 9th District race
Progressives led the day in the 9th District, where Biss was expected to win the nomination but progressive commentator Kat Abugazleh ran close on his heels in her first bid for public office.
Super PAC spending sought to boost Fine, who was seen as the most moderate candidate in the race and was backed by neighboring Rep. Brad Schneider, dozens of his state legislative colleagues and the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune.
Rep. who represented this position for decades. John Schakowsky and Sen. Tammy Duckworth supported Bis out of retirement. Meanwhile, Abughazaleh is a member of the Justice Democrats and California’s Democratic Rep. Ro has the support of prominent progressive groups such as Khanna.
A sharp division of the race came upon Israel. Biss, who is Jewish and has relatives who survived the Holocaust, has criticized the Israeli government and called for a Palestinian state, but said he supports a “special relationship” between the US and Israel.
Abughazaleh continued to criticize Israel, calling its recent behavior in Gaza genocide and calling for restrictions on military aid. Fein, who is also Jewish, has defended Israel and opposed “additional conditions on aid to Israel” and called for humanitarian support for the people in Gaza.
On the final day of the race, Biss’ campaign admitted that she had a brief relationship with a student while teaching at the University of Chicago in 2004, before cutting it off as “ill-advised.”
Bean’s Congressional Comeback in 8th District
In the 8th, Bean is poised to do what former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. couldn’t do in the 2nd District: successfully win a comeback bid.
Bean has the support of Duckworth, his former House colleagues, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Her main opponent, Junaid Ahmed, a tech consultant, was backed by prominent progressives including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and progressive groups such as the Justice Democrats. Sen. Dick Durbin’s choice, Yasmeen Bankol, is poised to finish better than the front-runner.
It was another race that saw significant outside spending — about $4 million from Elect Chicago Women (another of these groups with obscure funding) and another $500,000 from AI industry-funded Think Big. Both groups are growing the bean.
There are deep divisions over Israel in this race, with Ahmed accusing Israel of genocide and calling for an end to all military aid to Israel, while Bean is supported by a Democratic majority for Israel.
7. Fierce competition
Ford is seeking to succeed the longtime Democratic lawmaker in the 7th District, retiring Rep. Danny Davis won with his support.
The United Democracy Project, a super PAC aligned with the American Israel Political Affairs Committee, has spent more than $2 million to boost Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyers-Erwin. Conyers-Erwin also has other powerful supporters, such as former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Teachers Union.
