The Courier News

1 day ago | chicagotribune.com | Rick Pearson

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on Thursday became the first of what is expected to be many candidates to launch bids for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Stratton’s quick move — announcing her plans in a video posted on social media at 5 a.m. and less than 24 hours after Durbin declared his intent not to run for a sixth term — was designed to position herself as an early front-runner in what is expected to be a highly competitive race.

1 day ago | chicagotribune.com | Olivia Olander

Longtime U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky will announce whether she plans to seek reelection at an event in early May, she wrote Wednesday in a social media post that indicated she hasn’t yet made up her mind. “I will make that decision in the coming weeks and announce on May 5,” Schakowsky wrote in a post on the social media platform X that went up shortly after Politico, citing unnamed sources, reported Schakowsky, 80, planned to announce her retirement after 14 terms in the House. U.S. Sen.

1 day ago | chicagotribune.com | Rick Pearson

With his announcement Wednesday that he would not seek reelection next year, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin set into motion an upheaval of Democratic politics involving current officeholders looking at the potential risks and rewards of seeking a coveted U.S. Senate seat and its potential for long-term job security. Even before Durbin’s long-awaited decision, a behind-the-scenes Democratic primary was underway by at least four current elected officials.

2 days ago | chicagotribune.com | Rick Pearson

Dick Durbin, whose tenure as one of Illinois’ longest serving U.S. senators has also been a testament to the power of seniority in the chamber, announced Wednesday he would not seek a sixth term next year, setting up a scramble among potential successors vying for a politically coveted six-year term. “The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch.

2 days ago | chicagotribune.com | Valerie Gonzalez |Gisela Salomon

Hubert Montoya burst out laughing when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security emailed to say he should leave the country immediately or risk consequences of being deported. He is a U.S. citizen. “I just thought it was absurd,” the Austin, Texas, immigration attorney said. It was an apparent glitch in the Trump administration’s dismantling of another Biden-era policy that allowed people to live and work in the country temporarily.