The Land of Lincoln paid Democrats their largest gerrymandering dividend in 2022. Illinois lost a seat in reapportionment, but Democrats were still able to stretch their lead in the delegation from 13D-5R to 14D-3R by eliminating Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger's district, flipping GOP Rep. Rodney Davis' downstate 13th District and shoring up all their own seats. The resulting map is an eyesore, but it helped Democrats stay in the hunt for House control.
The only truly competitive seat in the state is the 17th District, a stringlike work of abstract art connecting blue voters in Rockford, the Quad Cities and Peoria. Republicans have put freshman Democratic Rep. Eric Sorensen, who won the seat 52%-48% in 2022, high on their target list — though they still need to find a candidate. In the downstate 12th District, ultra-conservative former state Sen. Darren Bailey looks poised to challenge GOP Rep. Mike Bost in the March 2024 primary.
IL-01: Jonathan Jackson (D) - South Side Chicago: Hyde Park, New LenoxSolid Democrat. Rep. Bobby Rush opened the South Side’s Democratic floodgates when he retired
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