Crowded Field In Race For Bobby Rush's 1st Distric Seat: IL Primary

ILLINOIS — Voters will have a plethora of options for Tuesday's primary on who will get the Democratic and Republican nominations for Illinois' 1st Congressional District seat, long held by U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush.

The crowded field has 17 Democrats vying for the nod, while the GOP has four people looking to flip a seat that has for decades belonged to the Democrats.

Rush announced in January that he would not be seeking re-election this year, marking the first time someone other than him will occupy the Congressional seat he's held since 1993.

Rush's decision makes the normally secure race wide open for the first time in nearly 30 years. Rush had won every race he was in for the seat with at least 70 percent of the votes.

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The 1st Congressional District map was redrawn following the completion of the 2020 U.S. Census. It now covers an area stretching from Chicago in the north all the way down to Bourbonnais in the southern end of the District, totaling more than 700,000 people represented in the District.

Voters are likely to recognize some of the names on the ballot, such as Republican Philainse White, who ran unsuccessfully against Rush in the 2020 general election. Or Democrat Jonathan Jackson, the son of Rev. Jesse Jackson and brother of former U.S. Rep Jesse Jackson, Jr. Some names on the ballot voters may not be familiar.

To help sort it all out, Patch has put together a list of who's on the ballot Tuesday for each party:

Democratic candidates

• Kirby Birgans
• Chris Butler
• Jahmal Cole
• Jacqueline Collins
• Steven DeJoie
• Pat Dowell
• Cassandra Goodrum
• Jonathan Jackson
• Terre Layng Rosner
• Marcus Lewis
• Karin Norington-Reaves
• Ameena Nuur Matthews
• Robert Palmer
• Nykea Pippion McGriff
• Jonathan Swain
• Michael Thompson
• Charise Williams

Republican candidates

• Eric Carlson
• Jeff Regnier
• Philanise White
• Geno Young