Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-9th District) is expected to announce her plans to retire from Congress at the end of her current term, joining fellow Illinois delegation veteran Sen. Dick Durbin in stepping aside and clearing the path for a competitive primary in spring 2026, according to reporting Wednesday from Politico.
The Politico article states that two people familiar with the veteran congresswoman’s plans confirmed that she will make the retirement announcement next month. Schakowsky wrote in an X post Wednesday afternoon that she intends to decide on her 2026 plans “in the coming weeks” and expects to announce her decision on May 5, the same date as her annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch in Chicago.
Schakowsky, 80, won her 14th term representing Evanston and other nearby communities in November, but by March already faced a presumed primary challenge from progressive influencer Kat Abughazaleh. At the time of Abughazaleh’s announcement, Schakowsky wrote that she was “glad to see new faces getting involved” in Democrats’ fight against Trump, but did not indicate her own plans for 2026, and hasn’t made any official announcements since then.
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Beyond Abughazaleh, a race to succeed Schakowsky would likely draw in several more established Democratic candidates already holding local office. Politico reports that Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and state Sen. Laura Fine (D-9th District) are “widely expected to enter the race after Schakowsky makes her plans public.”
In a statement shared on social media Wednesday afternoon, Abughazaleh thanked Schakowsky for her “track record on key issues from Social Security to Palestinian human rights,” and she encouraged others to join the race to replace Evanston’s longtime congressional representative — even saying that “anyone in the District interested in running can reach out to my campaign directly at hello@katforillinois.com and we will give you the support you need to run against me. (No, I’m not kidding!)”
Schakowsky’s fellow longtime Democratic leader Durbin, 80, announced his own retirement plans on social media Wednesday morning, saying in a video that “I know in my heart it’s time to pass the torch” after serving four terms in the Senate and seven in the House of Representatives.
His seat, which is also up for election in 2026, is expected to draw an even larger pool of candidates, including Illinois Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton and U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-8th District) and Lauren Underwood (D-14th).
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a social media post from Schakowsky. This is a developing story, and may be updated further as new information becomes available.