Former Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss has won the seat for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. According to CBS News projections, he defeated Republican candidate John Elleson, a pastor from Arlington Heights.
Biss will replace Jan Schakowsky, who decided to retire after many years in Congress. The new congressman resigned as mayor of Evanston in October to focus on his campaign.
Daniel Biss to Succeed Jan Schakowsky in Congress
In a speech Tuesday after his victory, Biss said he wants the federal government to once again work first and foremost in the interests of citizens.
In his remarks, he pointed to rising costs of housing, health care and child care. He also stressed deepening economic inequality, threats to democracy and the need to protect civil rights.
The politician said that despite the many challenges facing the country, he looks to the future with hope and optimism.
The election in the 9th District followed one of the more competitive Democratic campaigns in the Chicago area. After Jan Schakowsky announced in May that she would leave Congress, as many as 15 candidates sought the Democratic nomination. Biss won the primary with 29.4% of the vote.
Republican John Elleson, meanwhile, defeated three rivals in his party’s primary and secured the nomination for the general election.
The New Congressman’s Political Experience
Daniel Biss had been mayor of Evanston since 2021. Before that, he served six years in the Illinois Senate and two years as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives.
In 2018, he sought the Democratic nomination for governor of Illinois. He finished second in the primary, behind JB Pritzker.
During this year’s congressional campaign, he focused primarily on immigration policy, the cost of living and protecting America’s democratic institutions.
His Republican opponent, John Elleson, is a pastor from Arlington Heights. He had twice previously tried to win the seat in the same district, in 2018 and 2022. The first time, he lost decisively to Jan Schakowsky, and four years later his candidacy was disqualified because of an insufficient number of valid signatures on nominating petitions.
In the 2026 campaign, Elleson focused mainly on security, immigration and opposition to democratic socialism.
9th District Has Remained a Democratic Stronghold for Decades
The 9th District covers the northern part of Chicago and the North Shore suburbs. Its boundaries also extend west, toward Crystal Lake and Algonquin.
It is one of the most reliably Democratic districts in Illinois. Voters have not elected a Republican to represent it in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1946.
Biss’s victory means Democrats will hold the seat. The new congressman will take over from Jan Schakowsky after the current term ends and new members of Congress are sworn in on January 3.
Source: Polski.FM
