Marine Veteran Faces 13-Term Congresswoman In Online Candidate Forum

EVANSTON, IL — Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky is set to square off against her 14th GOP challenger in a candidate forum later this month.

Chicago Republican Seth Alan Cohen faces the incumbent Evanston Democrat in an online forum co-sponsored by local chapters of the League of Women Voters and the Evanston Public Library at 1 p.m. on Sept. 29.

Schakowsky, 80, has only once in the past 25 years received less than 70 percent of the vote in Illinois' 9th Congressional District.

Cohen grew up in Buffalo Grove, attended Stevenson High School and served four years in the U.S. Marines from 2016 to 2020. He co-founded The Brigade, a nonprofit organization supporting student veterans in professional development, and he now attends business school at the University of Chicago and lives in West Rogers Park.

Cohen, 27, had only just been born when Schakowsky, after fending off J.B. Pritzker and Howard Carroll in the primary, defeated her first GOP congressional opponent, Herb Sohn. Sohn died in 2019.

The candidates are both taking part in the upcoming forum remotely. Members of the public will have the opportunity to watch as it takes place, if they register for the webinar in advance.

The public is also invited to submit questions to be asked of the candidates — send them to lwvevoterservices@gmail.com with "forum question" in the subject line — but they must be received at least 48 hours before the start of the forum.

"Questions should relate to specific issues within the district, and should be applicable to both candidates," according to the organizers.

According to Federal Elections Commission reports, Schakowsky started July with more than $867,500 in cash on hand, while Cohen had less than $900.

Organizers said the forum will be recorded and made available for viewing on the League of Women Voters’ website.