The 7th and 12th districts of Illinois embody the state’s disparate cultural tapestry, with the former anchoring Chicago’s diverse downtown and the latter blanketing Little Egypt’s fertile farmland. But on March 19, their respective incumbents — two longtime officeholders sharply divided by ideology and background — will be bonded by a shared struggle: primary trouble.

In Chicago’s Loop, Democratic Rep. Danny Davis is facing an onslaught of attacks from all sides two years after skating by 52%-46% against a relatively unknown activist. Downstate, it’s a one-on-one matchup between five-term Republican Rep. Mike Bost and ultra-conservative former state Sen. Darren Bailey, whose feisty campaign has run ads featuring a flamethrower and a pledge to “roast woke liberal ideologies.” Both incumbents seem aware that their jobs are on the line, though they’ve run vastly different campaigns.

IL-07: Danny Davis (D) - Chicago Loop and West Side: Austin, Oak ParkSolid Democrat. Are the winds of change howling in the heart of Chicago? Two weeks from primary day, there are more than a few indications that the 82-year-old Davis is sailing into stormy

More from the Cook Political Report

ecovey
First Person
Cook Politcal Logo