Bruce Leon drops out of 9th Congressional race, endorses Phil Andrew

Two weeks after halting his bid for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s 9th Congressional District seat and a week after saying he would resume a campaign schedule, entrepreneur Bruce Leon has dropped out and endorsed a rival candidate.

Leon, a Democratic ward committeeperson in Chicago, is backing Phil Andrew, a Wilmette resident and former FBI agent.

Leon filed paperwork to withdraw Tuesday with the Illinois State Board of Elections. His departure leaves 16 candidates for the Democratic nomination in the 9th District, which includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties. Four Republicans are running, too.

Schakowsky, an Evanston Democrat, isn’t seeking reelection. The primary election is March 17.

In a news release, Leon said Andrew’s professional experience and personal experience as a survivor of gun violence make him an ideal lawmaker. Andrew was among the people wounded by mass-shooter Laurie Dann in 1988, when he was a college student.

“Phil is about public service, not self-service,” Leon said.

In the same release, Andrew expressed gratitude for Leon’s endorsement.

Leon initially suspended his campaign in late December, claiming he’d been pressured by a pro-Israel lobbying group to quit. Leon is Jewish.

A week later, Leon told reporters he’d be resuming campaign activities.

The 9th District has a relatively large Jewish population. Its congressional representatives for the past 60 years — Schakowsky and before her, Sidney Yates — have been Jewish.

Andrew is Catholic.

Schakowsky has endorsed Daniel Biss, a former state legislator who now serves as Evanston’s mayor and is Jewish.

Leon largely has self-funded his campaign with loans that totaled $800,000 as of September 2025, the most recent Federal Election Commission financial reports show.

In contrast, Biss and former internet personality Kat Abughazaleh of Chicago, who is Palestinian American, each had raised more than $1 million by that point.

Andrew’s campaign had raised about $726,000 — including a $200,000 loan from the candidate — by then.

Year-end financial reports are due by Jan. 31.