By William S. Bike
Several candidates are running unopposed on March 19, so they are guaranteed to win their primary races.
Congress
Jonathan Jackson is the incumbent 1st District member of the U.S. House of Representatives, first having been elected two years ago. A Democrat, he is a member of the House committee on agriculture and its subcommittees on commodity markets; digital assets; rural development; and nutrition, foreign agriculture, and horticulture. He also serves on the House committee on foreign affairs and its subcommittee on Africa; the Congressional Progressive Caucus; and the Congressional Black Caucus.
Chad Koppie, a lifetime farmer, is running unopposed in the 7th Congressional District Republican primary. He is a member of the Kane County Regional Board of Schools and a former jet captain for Delta Airlines. He believes the Federal government should have no role in public education and has no authority to implement drug laws, wants to cut all government spending by 3% for ten years, supports the Second Amendment and is a member of the National Rifle Association, and wants to end foreign aid.
State senate
Lakesia Collins, Democrat, is state senator from the 5th District. She assumed that office in 2023 after Senator Patricia Van Pelt retired. Collins is vice chair of the human rights committee and serves on the early childhood education, financial institutions, public health, and revenue committees. She is a certified nursing assistant and former union organizer. Collins founded the Future Fighters organization for worker rights.
Democrat Robert Peters is the incumbent in the 13th state senate district. He has held the office since 2019. Peters is chair of the senate labor committee and a member of the transportation, human rights, and appropriations public safety and infrastructure committees. Peters is vice chair of the subcommittee on criminal law and public safety. He sponsored and passed legislation that expanded worker protections in temporary employment, and he focuses on environmental, racial, and economic justice.
State rep
Al Rasho, a Near South resident, is running unopposed in the 5th District Republican state rep primary. He attempted to run for 3rd Ward alderman last year, but the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners removed him from the ballot after an election petition challenge.
Sean A. Dwyer in running unopposed in the 6th District Republican state rep primary. Dwyer is a South Loop resident.
Yolonda Morris is the incumbent Democratic 9th District state rep, having been appointed by Democratic committeepersons last September. She serves on the appropriations-public safety, health care availability and access, housing, human services, mental health and addiction, and public health committees. She worked as a certified nurse assistant for 26 years and was a union organizer.
Jawaharial “Omar” Williams, a Democrat, is the incumbent 10th District state rep, an office he has held since 2019. His committee assignments include cybersecurity, data analytics, and information technology; energy and environment; health care licenses; insurance; prescription drug affordability (where he is chair); public utilities; labor and commerce; and job growth and workforce development. He also chairs the fentanyl, health equity, supplemental prescription coverage, and supply chain subcommittees.
Natalian Bolton is unopposed in the Republican 24th District primary. Bolton is 12th Ward Republican Committeeman. She lives in the vicinity of Western Avenue and 40th Street.
Democrat Kambium “Kam” Buckner has represented the 26th District since 2019. He is assistant majority leader. He is vice chairperson of the appropriations-general service committee and serves on the adoption and child welfare, executive, financial institutions and licensing, judiciary-civil, judiciary-criminal, revenue and finance, sales, amusement and other taxes, commercial and property, criminal administration and enforcement, juvenile justice, and system involved youth committees.
Republican Audrey Barrett is running unopposed in the 26th District primary. She is CEO and founder of Kingdom4U Health and Wellness and a nurse working in pediatric home health. She also has worked in hospice, methadone clinics, and home care for seniors. She said her priorities are “strengthening our economy, creating jobs, and fostering an environment where businesses can thrive. We will champion education, ensuring that every child has access to quality schools and the necessary resources to succeed.”