{"id":2431376,"date":"2025-05-06T10:44:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T14:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-robin-kelly-jumps-into-illinois-senate-race-for-durbins-seat\/"},"modified":"2025-05-06T10:44:53","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T14:44:53","slug":"rep-robin-kelly-jumps-into-illinois-senate-race-for-durbins-seat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-robin-kelly-jumps-into-illinois-senate-race-for-durbins-seat\/","title":{"rendered":"Rep. Robin Kelly jumps into Illinois Senate race for Durbin\u2019s seat"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frep-robin-kelly-jumps-into-illinois-senate-race-for-durbins-seat%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2431376&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Rep.Robin kelly (D-IL) has announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Dick Durbin, who will not seek reelection in 2026. Kelly, representing illinois&#8217; 2nd Congressional District since 2013, aims to focus her campaign on healthcare reform and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-wont-rule-out-using-executive-orders-to-crackdown-on-second-amendment-rights-white-house\/\" title=\"Biden Won\u2019t Rule Out Using Executive Orders To Crackdown On Second Amendment Rights: White House\">gun control measures<\/a>. She expressed her determination to tackle the toughest challenges and highlighted her experience in leadership roles. Kelly has been an advocate for expanding Medicaid and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >stricter gun laws<\/a>, emphasizing the need for national regulation to combat gun trafficking. she joins illinois&#8217; Democratic Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and others in the race for the Senate seat as potential candidates emerge.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Rep. Robin Kelly jumps into Illinois Senate race for Durbin&rsquo;s seat<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2104103\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) announced Tuesday she is launching a campaign to replace<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> Senate<\/a> Minority Whip <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dick-durbin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Dick Durbin<\/a> (D-IL) after he revealed last month he would not seek reelection to his Illinois Senate seat.<\/p>\n<p>Ahead of the Illinois March 2026 primary, Kelly, who has represented the state&rsquo;s 2nd Congressional District since 2013, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RobinLynneKelly\/status\/1919693331967164889\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">signaled<\/a> she would focus efforts on healthcare reform and increasing gun control measures if elected to the upper chamber.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3402166\/watch-live-va-secretary-doug-collins-testifies-congress\/\">WATCH LIVE: VA Secretary Doug Collins testifies before Senate Veterans&#8217; Affairs Committee<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3402051\/angus-king-son-run-for-governor-maine\/\">Angus King&rsquo;s son announces run for governor of Maine<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3401874\/georgia-republicans-brace-bruising-senate-primary-plan-b-hopefuls\/\">Georgia Republicans brace for bruising Senate primary with &lsquo;Plan B&rsquo; hopefuls<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;This moment requires proven leaders who have the experience to take on the toughest battles,&rdquo; she said in a statement. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never backed down &mdash; not from gun lobbyists, not from MAGA extremists, and certainly not from a fight for what&rsquo;s right.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Kelly is the second Democrat to officially announce their candidacy after Durbin, 80, announced in April he would not run for a sixth term in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Senate<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox32chicago.com\/news\/juliana-stratton-us-senate-durbin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Illinois&rsquo; Democratic lieutenant governor, Juliana Stratton<\/a>, promptly threw her hat in the ring to take Durbin&rsquo;s seat, claiming coveted endorsements from Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).<\/p>\n<p>Although dubbing herself a perpetual &ldquo;underdog,&rdquo; Kelly shrugged off Stratton&rsquo;s support on Tuesday.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think anyone is shocked the governor endorsed his lieutenant governor. I think that should be expected,&rdquo; she<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcchicago.com\/news\/local\/chicago-politics\/illinois-senate-candidates-robin-kelly-senate-dick-durbin-juliana-stratton\/3738577\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> told<\/a> NBC News.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m hoping that people take a look at all of us that are running. I&rsquo;ve been an effective leader. I&rsquo;m a fighter. I&rsquo;ve been standing up to Donald Trump just in these last three months, with my town hall meetings, with my face-to-face or my teletown hall meetings. I mean, the proof is in the pudding of the work I&rsquo;ve done.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Today I announce my run for the US Senate. This moment demands proven leaders with the experience to take on tough battles. I&#8217;ve never backed down&mdash;not from gun lobbyists, not from MAGA extremists, and not from a fight for what&#8217;s right. Join my campaign &#128073; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LMijDeBMCi\">https:\/\/t.co\/LMijDeBMCi<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bAH2KYW5Cf\">pic.twitter.com\/bAH2KYW5Cf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Robin Kelly, Ph.D. (@RobinLynneKelly) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RobinLynneKelly\/status\/1919693331967164889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 6, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Kelly, 69, has spent decades climbing the political ladder in Illinois. A two-term member in the state&rsquo;s House of Representatives, she also served as Chief Administrative Officer of Cook County.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>During her time in Congress, she has focused efforts on issues such as health care, leading successful efforts to expand Medicaid postpartum coverage to one year. And <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-andy-biggs-blows-whistle-on-atf-targeting-law-abiding-firearm-dealers\/\" title=\".... Andy Biggs Blows Whistle On ATF Targeting Law-Abiding Firearm Dealers\">expanding gun control<\/a> has always been a top priority for the congresswoman. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We often hear, well, Chicago has the toughest gun laws. But look what they don&rsquo;t talk about is&hellip;a big part of (it is) trafficking&hellip;we need national laws, because most of our guns come from Indiana and Wisconsin,&rdquo; she said during a 2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/ipmnewsroom.org\/rep-robin-kelly-supports-green-new-deal-and-strong-gun-control-in-ipm-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">interview<\/a> with IPM News.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Since I&rsquo;ve been in Congress, it&rsquo;s actually become easier to buy a gun in Indiana and Wisconsin than it was when I first came to Congress,&rdquo; she continued. &ldquo;So we need to ban assault weapons, instead of what we have now. (We need) more severe background checks. If you can&rsquo;t buy a handgun until you&rsquo;re 21, you should not be able to buy an assault weapon until you&rsquo;re 21. So to me, that needs to be corrected.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>A co-chair for the Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, Kelly is also a member of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction for the Democratic Caucus.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rep. Robin Kelly, (D-IL), wipes tears from her eye as she listens to testimony during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (AP Photo\/Andrew Harnik, Pool)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3388731\/durbin-announces-retirement-senate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">DURBIN ANNOUNCES SENATE RETIREMENT, CLEARING WAY FOR LEADERSHIP SHAKE-UP<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Other possible Democratic contenders in the race to replace Durbin include Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On the Republican side, Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) is also viewed as a potential contender.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2104103\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2104103\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rep. Robin Kelly enters Illinois Senate race for Durbin&#8217;s seat<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2431377,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Robin-Kelly.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[54201,54692,34723],"class_list":["post-2431376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-illinois-senate","tag-robin-kelly","tag-senate-race"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Robin-Kelly.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431376","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2431376"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431376\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2431380,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431376\/revisions\/2431380"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2431377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2431376"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2431376"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2431376"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}