Chicago Rep. Danny Davis, 83, won't seek reelection to Congress
Longtime Chicago congressman will not seek reelection
Rep. Danny Davis, first elected in the 90s, will not seek a 16th term.
CHICAGO - U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, 83, a Democrat who has represented parts of Chicago for nearly 30 years in Congress, announced he won't seek a 16th term in the House of Representatives on thursday.
Davis was first elected to Congress in 1996. He’ll turn 84 in September, according to his official biography.
Chicago congressman's expected retirement leaves another House seat open in 2026
U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, 83, a Democrat who has represented parts of Chicago for nearly 30 years in Congress, is expected to announce he won't seek a 16th term in the House of Representatives, according to sources.
Davis made the official announcement about his future plans on Thursday morning in Chicago.
Davis also endorsed a potential successor to his seat, State Rep. La Shawn Ford, of Chicago, who has already filed paperwork to run in the district.
The backstory:
Davis represents the 7th Congressional District, which stretches from west suburban Cook County to Chicago’s South Side, and includes much of Chicago’s downtown area.
The Parkdale, Arkansas, native has also worked as a teacher, a community health director, a member of the Chicago City Council for 11 years, and a Cook County Board commissioner.
His announcement will come as many other senior members of Congress, including multiple from Illinois, have announced that they will not seek reelection in the 2026 midterms.
Such retirements have led to wide-open primary races during an election cycle expected to favor Democrats with Republicans in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.
Earlier this year, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, both Democrats, said they wouldn’t seek another term for their respective seats. U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly and Raja Krisnamoorthi are also foregoing reelection to run for Durbin's Senate seat.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) speaks at a Congressional briefing on Iran held by the Organization of Iranian American Communities on Capitol Hill on April 16, 2024 in Washington, DC. A group of bipartisan members of Congress
What's next:
Davis' decision not to seek a 16th term in the House will open up another safe Democratic seat for new, younger candidates.
In 2024, Davis won reelection against his Republican opponent with 83% of the vote.
Ford was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2007. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Chicago in 2019.
In 2015, Ford pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor bank fraud charge after federal prosecutors dropped 17 felony charges against him.
Business philanthropist Jason Friedman, Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, and former Cook County Board member Richard Boykin have also declared their candidacies for the House seat.
Other potential candidates for the seat include Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears Ervin, who unsuccessfully challenged Davis in the 2024 Democratic primary race.
Progressive stalwart Kina Collins could also jump in again after running three times for the seat between 2020 and 2024.