Robin Kelly launches Senate bid to succeed Dick Durbin

CHICAGO — Illinois Rep. Robin Kelly is joining a growing field of Democrats vying for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Dick Durbin.

“This moment requires proven leaders who have the experience to take on the toughest battles. I’ve never backed down — not from gun lobbyists, not from MAGA extremists, and certainly not from a fight for what’s right.” Kelly said in a statement announcing her bid.

Kelly joins Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who jumped into the contest last month and has been endorsed by Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Gov. JB Pritzker. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi is also expected to announce his bid, and Rep. Lauren Underwood continues to eye the seat.

In a potentially crowded field, Kelly will need to call on relationships with Democrats across Illinois that she built as a state party chair, along with leaning on a long legislative resume that has taken her from Springfield to Washington.

Kelly is no stranger to tough primary contests. She was first elected to Congress in 2013, winning a high-profile special election for the seat held by former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who had resigned amid controversy. Kelly emerged victorious from a 16-candidate Democratic primary field.

She is also a former two-term state representative who went on to serve as chief of staff to then-Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. When he sought another public office, Kelly ran unsuccessfully for state treasurer.

She counts former President Barack Obama as a friend, having served in Springfield with him at the same time.

Kelly’s congressional race in 2013 drew national attention when billionaire New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg entered the fray to call attention to the problem of gun violence.

Bloomberg’s super PAC spent more than $1 million against Debbie Halvorson, a former Democratic congresswoman who was cut out of her district when the lines were redrawn. She had received a positive rating from the National Rifle Association, while Kelly – a New York native who campaigned on supporting tougher restrictions on guns — celebrated getting a poor rating from the NRA.

Once in Congress, Kelly led a sit-in on the House floor to protest inaction on gun violence and co-sponsored landmark legislation protecting victims of domestic violence.

Today, Kelly, who just turned 69, is a member of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee and sits on the health subcommittee, where she has focused on maternal health — especially among Black women. She represents a heavily Democratic district with a high concentration of African American residents.

Kelly has just over $2 million cash on hand, according to the latest Federal Election Commission reports.

Fundraising will be key in the 2026 Senate race to succeed the retiring Durbin. Stratton has not yet had to report her fundraising numbers but could get a boost from Pritzker, a billionaire who could single-handedly reshape the money race. She currently has about $100,000 in her state campaign account. A PAC started earlier this year to support Stratton has also not revealed its fundraising numbers.

Underwood has about $1.2 million in the bank, and Krishnamoorthi has reported more than $19 million cash on hand.