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Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, D-Ill., is reportedly not planning on seeking re-election. The lawmaker, who was first elected to Congress in 2018, represents parts of the southwest side of Chicago.
García, a longtime progressive, will not seek reelection as of Tuesday, FOX 32 Chicago reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. Monday was the last day for candidates to file paperwork in Illinois to run in the 2026 midterm elections.
The Chicago Sun Times also reported that García plans to withdraw from the race. García filed petitions with the Illinois State Board of Elections for his re-election on Oct. 27, but in a last-minute maneuver, García’s chief of staff, Patty Garcia, filed petitions to replace him just ahead of the 5 p.m. deadline on Monday, according to the newspaper.
HOUSE REPUBLICAN PLANS TO LEAVE CONGRESS AFTER MORE THAN 2 DECADES IN OFFICE
FOX 32 noted that Patty Garcia previously served as the congressman’s district director, and prior to that, she served with the Latino Center for Leadership Development.
Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, a former challenger to Rep. García, criticized the move, telling FOX 32 that “the machine’s gonna do what the machine’s gonna do.”
“For the party of ‘No Kings,’ this is a bad look,” Lopez told FOX 32, referencing the widespread anti-President Donald Trump “No Kings” protests.
The Urban Center, a centrist nonprofit organization in Chicago, also slammed the maneuver.
In a statement, Juan Rangel, CEO of The Urban Center, classified the move as a “classic machine maneuver from a career politician who seeks to deny the voters a say on their representation,” according to FOX 32.
Prior to his election to Congress, García served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and even challenged then-incumbent Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2015, forcing him into a runoff election.
The Chicago Sun Times said that two sources confirmed the lawmaker’s plan to step down and added that he is expected to pull the petitions that were filed late last month. His decision to step down leaves the city with five open congressional seats and an open Senate race ahead of the March primary.
DICK DURBIN, NO. 2 SENATE DEMOCRAT, WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION
In April, Sen. Dick Durbin, D- Ill., the Senate Democratic Whip and the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, shook up Illinois politics when he announced that he would not seek re-election in 2026 for what would have been his sixth term. When he made the announcement that he would be retiring, Durbin, 80, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, said the decision was not an easy one.
“I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch,” Durbin said.
In addition to the candidate shakeup, Illinois Democrats are considering a redistricting plan. While last week the lawmakers refused to vote on the plan during their veto session, they maintained that “all options” remained on the table, according to FOX 32.
Fox News Digital reached out to Garcia’s office for comment.
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