Evanston activist announces bid to replace Rep. Schakowsky in Congress
The Democratic field for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District seat continues to grow.
Evanston activist Miracle Jenkins has officially thrown his hat over the wall, announcing to the media and social media followers this week that he’ll run for the post now held by longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Schakowsky, also of Evanston, won’t seek reelection in 2026 — a decision that leaves the 9th District open for the first time since the 1990s.
Jenkins served as Schakowsky’s deputy political director in 2018. In his campaign announcement, Jenkins praised Schakowsky as “a fearless voice for justice and a champion for our community.”
“She helped people like me rise in this movement,” Jenkins said. “Now I’m running to widen the circle and make sure more voices get heard in the halls of power.”
Jenkins filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission last month for the 9th District seat, but that was no guarantee he’d run.
Stretching between the North Shore and the Crystal Lake area, the 9th District includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.
The other Democratic candidates in the 9th are state Sen. Laura Fine of Glenview; Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss; Skokie School District 73.5 board member Bushra Amiwala; and Chicagoans Kat Abughazaleh and David Abrevaya. Republicans Mark Su of Chicago and Rocio Cleveland of Island Lake also are running.
Casten touts mental health bill
Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Downers Grove is touting a bipartisan bill designed to improve access to mental health care for pilots and air traffic controllers.
The legislation, dubbed the Mental Health in Aviation Act, is being championed in the House by Casten and Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber of Minnesota. It advanced out of the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday.
“Current Federal Aviation Administration regulations perpetuate a culture of silence and unfairly penalize aviators who seek mental health care,” Casten said in a news release. “These common sense changes will help aviators get help if and when they need it.”
Reducing barriers to mental health care “keep our skies safe for the flying public,” Stauber said in the release.
If enacted, the legislation would, among other tasks, require the Federal Aviation Administration to report to Congress on plans to implement recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board regarding pilot mental health care; require the agency to annually review processes regarding mental health-related medication and training; and fund a public information campaign designed to destigmatize mental health care among aviators and make pilots and air traffic controllers aware of available services.
Casten reportedly got involved in the issue after speaking to families with adult children who killed themselves while in flight school.
The bill hasn’t yet been scheduled for a full debate by the House.
• Political Roundabout is an occasional column on campaign, legislative and political news with a suburban focus.