2022 Illinois's 1st congressional district election

2022 Illinois's 1st congressional district election

← 2020 November 8, 2022 2024 →
 
Nominee Jonathan Jackson Eric Carlson
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 159,142 78,258
Percentage 67.0% 33.0%

County results
Jackson:      80–90%
Carlson:      60–70%

U.S. Representative before election

Bobby Rush
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Jonathan Jackson
Democratic

The 2022 Illinois's 1st congressional district election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the United States representative for Illinois's 1st congressional district, concurrently with elections for the other U.S. House districts in Illinois and the rest of the country, as well as the 2022 U.S. Senate race in Illinois, other elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. Primary elections were held on June 28. Before the 2020 redistricting cycle, the 1st district was primarily based in the South Side of Chicago. Under the new congressional map, although the 1st district is still based in Chicago, including portions of Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Grand Crossing, Morgan Park, and Roseland, it now reaches down to the southwest and takes in a collection of exurban and rural areas in Cook County, Will County, and Kankakee County. The district as a whole is slightly under 50% black.[1][2]

Since 1993, the district had been represented by Democrat Bobby Rush. On January 3, 2022, Rush announced that he would retire rather than seek a sixteenth term in office.[3]

Because Rush announced his retirement just six months before the primaries, the race to succeed him was relatively brief. A wide field of candidates ran in the Democratic primary, including state senator Jacqueline Collins, Chicago alderwoman Pat Dowell, business professor Jonathan Jackson, and attorney Karin Norington-Reaves, whom Rush endorsed as his successor. Jackson won the primary with a low plurality and advanced to the general election, as did nonprofit founder Eric Carlson, who narrowly defeated gun dealer Jeff Regnier in the Republican primary.[4] As expected in this solidly liberal district, Jackson easily dispatched Carlson.[1] Jackson's victory continued the 1st district's 93-year tradition of electing a black man as its representative, dating back to the election of Oscar De Priest in 1929.[5] Jackson took office in the 118th United States Congress in January 2023, joining the Congressional Progressive Caucus.[6]

  1. ^ a b "Democrat Jonathan Jackson declares victory in Illinois 1st Congressional District". CBS Chicago. November 8, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  2. ^ Byrne, John (May 18, 2022). "In race to replace US Rep. Bobby Rush, candidates try to break through the clutter in densely crowded field". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  3. ^ Sweet, Lynn (January 3, 2022). "Rep. Bobby Rush to retire after 15 terms". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  4. ^ Garmes, Kyle (November 1, 2022). "Jackson, Carlson running in 1st District". Beverly Review. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  5. ^ Vevea, Becky (April 18, 2022). "Candidates for Illinois' 1st congressional district have raised $1.5 million total". WBEZ. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  6. ^ "Progressive Caucus". Progressive Caucus. Retrieved December 23, 2022.