In the 2nd District, Jesse Jackson, Jr., who left Congress in 2012 amid a corruption scandal, is the frontrunner. In the more suburban 8th District, business-friendly former Rep. Melissa Bean has a huge spending advantage over the other candidates. “I don’t think it’s a signal of the hunger for generational change. AdvertisementPeters, who represents the state Senate seat once held by Barack Obama, is the leading progressive running against Jackson. “I joined President Obama and all the Democrats to pass the democratic budget,” Bean said, noting the budget included funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

Source: Huffington Post March 15, 2026 14:38 UTC