Skokie attorney joins race for Schakowsky’s congressional seat

A Skokie civil rights attorney is the latest candidate to announce a 2026 campaign for the congressional seat now held by veteran U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

Democrat Howard Rosenblum has joined the race in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, which includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.

“This is a campaign to restore the foundations of our democracy,” Rosenblum said in a news release. “I know how important equality under the law and full opportunity through civil rights is. My legal experience fighting back is exactly what we need in Washington right now.”

Rosenblum is deaf and formerly served as CEO and director of legal services at the National Association of the Deaf. He now oversees a nonprofit group called Deaf Equality.

Rosenblum also served on the U.S. Access Board, an independent federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities, and the Illinois Human Rights Commission, which fights discrimination and enforces the Illinois Human Rights Act.

This is his first campaign for elected office.

Schakowsky, of Evanston, won’t seek reelection in 2026 — a move that leaves the 9th District open for the first time since she took office in 1999. The seat has been held by a Democrat since the 1940s.

The other Democratic candidates in the 9th District are state Sen. Laura Fine of Glenview; Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss; Skokie School District 73.5 board member Bushra Amiwala; Evanston activist Miracle Jenkins; and Chicagoans Kat Abughazaleh and David Abrevaya. Republicans Mark Su of Chicago and Rocio Cleveland of Island Lake also are running.

Krishnamoorthi, Jackson demand access to ICE facility

Democratic U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg and Jonathan Jackson of Chicago are waiting for a response to their formal request for access to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Chicago’s South Loop.

The lawmakers wrote Monday to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, after they were denied access to the facility on June 17. They claimed an ICE officer who refused to identify himself called Chicago police to have them removed.

The visit was prompted by reports that ICE detained at least 10 people after sending them text messages instructing them to appear at the facility for supposedly routine appointments.

“It is unclear exactly how many people were taken, where they were taken to, and if they were given access to counsel,” the lawmakers wrote. “We were denied those answers.”

Krishnamoorthi and Jackson requested a response by Friday, June 27. As of Wednesday, they haven’t heard from Noem or her agency, a Krishnamoorthi spokesperson said.

Krishnamoorthi represents the suburban 8th Congressional District and has announced he’ll run for the U.S. Senate now held by Dick Durbin in 2026. Jackson represents the 1st District, which stretches between Chicago’s South Side and the Bourbonnais area.

• Political Roundabout is an occasional column on campaign, legislative and political news with a suburban focus.