Longtime Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) announced Thursday that he will retire from Congress at the end of this term, ending a three-decade run representing parts of Chicago on Capitol Hill.
The move was not a surprise: Davis had suggested for weeks that he was ready to step out of the seat. He made the decision public on Thursday morning with a press conference outside one of his Windy City offices.
“The road has not always been the easiest, but I tell you I’ve had so much fun doing this job, I would do it for nothing,” Davis told a crowd of reporters and supporters.
Davis, 83, is just the latest in a long and growing list of Illinois Democrats who are leaving their seats at the end of next year.
In May, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), 80, announced that she would not seek reelection after 14 terms in the House. And Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) and Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) are also giving up their seats to run for the U.S. Senate, where Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) is retiring at the end of 2026 after serving 30 years in the upper chamber.
First elected in 1996, Davis is a senior member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee and has also played a leadership role within the Congressional Black Caucus, where he was previously co-chair of the group advocating for young men of color. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) quickly issued a statement praising Davis as “a tremendous champion for racial, social and economic justice.”
“Danny forged a remarkable legacy and made clear his commitment to public service,” Jeffries said.
Davis’s decision opens up what is likely to be a large and lively primary contest to replace him, and the veteran lawmaker quickly threw his weight behind La Shawn Ford, a member of the Illinois Legislature.
But his retirement won’t change the dynamics of the broader midterm race for control of the U.S. House, since Chicago is a safe Democratic stronghold. Indeed, Davis won reelection last year with 83 percent of the vote.
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