A late endorsement from President Joe Biden helped longtime Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) survive a primary challenge from progressive Kina Collins on Tuesday night and win a 13th term representing Chicago in the House.
Collins, a 31-year-old gun violence prevention activist, had won endorsements from a host of progressive groups, including Justice Democrats and the Sunrise Movement. The 80-year-old Davis had more establishment support, with the state AFL-CIO and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker both endorsing him.
Relatively late in the race — on Sunday morning, well after the start of early voting — Biden endorsed Davis, calling him “an effective leader and lawmaker who is deeply rooted in his community.”
Collins responded by saying the endorsement showed Davis’ desperation: “He knows that voters are ready for a new generation of people-powered leadership.”
However, she wasn’t a total underdog. After falling short in a previous challenge to Davis in 2020, Collins outraised him by roughly $150,000 and outspent him this time around. She also earned the backing of the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune, the state’s largest newspaper.
Davis has long been a reliable liberal vote — he’s a former member of the Democratic Socialists of America. But Collins argued the majority-Black 7th District could use a more vital and active member.
The district is safely Democratic in November.
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