Mary Ann Ahern

6 days ago | nbcchicago.com | Mary Ann Ahern |Rose Schmidt

At least four Democrats are interested in running for Dick Durbin's U.S. Senate seat if he retires. They were quietly waiting in the wings, but as time ticks away, the lack of an announcement from Illinois' senior senator is pushing the potential candidates out from the shadows. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton both showed up Thursday to meet with Cook County Democratic committee people, who have been meeting this week with potential candidates for the 2026 election.

1 week ago | nbcchicago.com | Mary Ann Ahern |Rose Schmidt

Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele was arrested for driving while intoxicated last fall. The case is still pending, but Steele hopes to distance herself from the incident and potentially run for Cook County assessor. In her first interview since the incident, Steele explained to NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern what led up to the arrest on Nov. 10 near Ashland and Winnemac avenues in the city's Ravenswood neighborhood. "So, you were not drunk?" Ahern asked. "I was not.

1 week ago | nbcchicago.com | Mary Ann Ahern |Rose Schmidt

In his first remarks since he left the White House, former President Joe Biden took aim at President Donald Trump’s actions and urged Americans to defend the ‘sacred promise’ of Social Security. Speaking at a convention in Chicago, Biden said that Americans must “never betray the trust” of those who rely on the program, which has been in place for nearly a century. “Social Security is more than a government program. It’s a sacred promise we made as a nation,” he said.

2 weeks ago | nbcchicago.com | Mary Ann Ahern |Rose Schmidt

One month after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson testified before a Congressional committee in Washington D.C., Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has also been asked to appear on Capitol Hill. The GOP-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has asked Pritzker to appear at a hearing on May 15, along with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. U.S. Rep.

2 weeks ago | nbcchicago.com | Rose Schmidt |Mary Ann Ahern

Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin hasn't yet announced whether he will run for another term in 2026 -- but there's already new polling on potential candidates ready to step in if he retires. Durbin, who is 80 years old, has repeatedly dodged questions about his political future, and though he has not said so directly, many people believe he will not run for a sixth term. By the end of his current term, he will have served 30 years in the U.S. Senate.