Democrat Miracle Jenkins ends campaign in 9th Congressional District, endorses rival

The unusually large field of candidates for the Democratic nomination in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District has thinned slightly.

Evanston resident and veteran Democratic campaign worker Miracle Jenkins has suspended his bid and endorsed Bushra Amiwala, a Skokie school board member.

“No one will fight for the working class as hard as Bushra Amiwala,” Jenkins said earlier this week in a news release from the Amiwala campaign.

Amiwala said she was honored to accept Jenkins’ endorsement for the March 2026 primary.

“I look forward to working together with him to mobilize voters and bring the values of our district to Washington,” she said in the release.

Jenkins’ departure from the race leaves 17 Democrats pursuing the nomination in the 9th District, which includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties. Incumbent Jan Schakowsky, an Evanston Democrat, isn’t seeking reelection after decades in the post.

In addition to Amiwala, the remaining Democratic candidates are: internet personality Kat Abughazaleh of Chicago; Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss; state Sens. Laura Fine of Glenview and Mike Simmons of Chicago; state Rep. Hoan Huynh of Chicago; Skokie resident Howard Rosenblum; Evanston residents Bethany Johnson, Jill Manrique and Nick Pyati; Chicagoans Bruce Leon, Justin Ford, Tamika La’Shon Hill, Lauren Million and Sam Polan; and Wilmette resident Phil Andrew.

Republicans Rocio Cleveland of Island Lake and Mark Su of Chicago also are running.

New candidate in 3rd District

Another Republican candidate has stepped up to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez in the 3rd Congressional District.

Spomenka Vajic, a business owner from Chicago, will seek the GOP nomination in the March 2026 primary.

Vajic’s campaign website isn’t fully operational yet, but she’s been promoting her campaign on Facebook.

Angel Oakley of Wheaton also is running for the Republican nomination in the 3rd District.

Ramirez first was elected to Congress in 2022 and reelected in 2024.

Wheaton resident Kip Knutson intends to challenge Ramirez in the Democratic primary.

The largely suburban 3rd District includes parts of Cook and DuPage counties. It stretches between Chicago’s Northwest side and the West Chicago area.

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