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Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and voting is underway in Illinois. This is the whole race — the records, the claims, and what the sources actually show. Read the research, and decide which flaw you can live with.
The setup OPEN SEAT. Democrat Jan Schakowsky, first elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2024 with 68.4%, is not running for re-election and endorsed the Democratic nominee. Cook rates this Solid D (Feb. 6, 2025), with Inside Elections Solid D, Sabato Safe D, and Decision Desk HQ Safe D. The district covers northern Chicago and the North Shore — Evanston, Skokie. An independent, behavioral technician Delila Barrera, is listed as filed paperwork only and is not counted as a nominee here. This file rests at compilation strength, not a direct certified-list read.
Daniel Biss (D) The record: Mayor of Evanston (2021–present); former state senator from the 9th district (2013–2019); candidate for governor in 2018. Won a fifteen-candidate Democratic primary 29.4% (38,804) over journalist/influencer Kat Abughazaleh (26.3%), State Sen. Laura Fine (20.0%) and others. Endorsed by Schakowsky, Sens. Duckworth and Warren, and the Chicago Federation of Labor / Illinois AFL-CIO. FEC (Apr. 25, 2026): raised $2,830,829. The file documents executive and state-legislative service, but no break with his party toward our values in that service. Pros: A sitting mayor and former state senator — a real governing record at two levels; won the largest, most contested primary in this file; the incumbent's endorsed successor. Cons: His record is entirely within Democratic politics and this file documents no Manchin-test break in it; endorsed by Sen. Warren's wing as well as the incumbent. The flaw, plainly: Proven Democratic governing without proven independence — experience that confirms the organizing vote, not one that offsets it.
John Elleson (R) The record: Pastor; the Republican nominee for this district in 2018. Won the Republican primary 48.9% (7,545). Endorsed by the Chicago Tribune and Journal & Topics. FEC: $0 raised. No record of service in Congress was located in the file. Pros: In-tent Republican alternative; ministry background consistent with the faith values in our mission; newspaper endorsements despite no fundraising. Cons: A 2018 loss in this district and $0 raised — a candidacy carried on endorsements alone. The flaw, plainly: Unproven — a watch-closely posture, not a demerit.
OUR CALL LiberalMind endorses John Elleson — as unproven in Congress, and on watch. Biss is a credentialed Democrat whose file shows service, not independence; the Manchin test is a break in service, and none is documented here. Elleson is unproven and unfunded, said plainly, and unproven still outranks a reliable Democratic organizing vote at House weight in an open seat.
This race is one of hundreds in LiberalMind's Election 2026 coverage. For the complete breakdown — every race, claim by claim — go to liberalmindhq.com.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
--- Sources - Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato, Decision Desk HQ — Solid/Safe D ratings (Cook Feb. 6, 2025) - Wikipedia, "2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois" (compilation, read Oct. 25, 2026) — Schakowsky retirement since 1998, 2024 margin of 68.4%, Biss record and fifteen-candidate primary, Elleson primary, filed-paperwork-only independent - FEC reports (Apr. 25, 2026), via the compilation — Biss $2,830,829 raised; Elleson $0
Winner: Daniel Biss (Democratic) — called by the Associated Press. This result was appended on November 4, 2026 (results wave 1); the original article above is unchanged, exactly as published before Election Day.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.