Incumbent Danny K. Davis (D), Kina Collins (D), and Denarvis Mendenhall (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District on June 28, 2022. Davis has represented the district in Congress since 1997. Davis and Collins have received the most media attention and funding in this race.
Prior to serving in Congress, Davis served on the Chicago City Council for eleven years as alderman of the 29th Ward. He also served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 1990 to 1996. He was elected to the U.S. House to represent Illinois’ 7th Congressional District in 1996 and still holds this office. While in Congress, Davis serves on the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Progressive Caucus. Davis’ reelection has been endorsed by the governor of Illinois, both U.S. senators from the state, the mayor of Chicago, and others.
Collins became a protest organizer in the wake of the police shooting of Laquan McDonald and founded the Chicago Neighborhood Alliance in 2017 to help end gun violence through civic engagement. Collins ran unsuccessfully in the 7th District’s 2020 Democratic primary. She has also served on the transition team and task force for gun violence prevention under President Joe Biden (D). Collins’ campaign has been endorsed by several alderman in the 7th district and the national political organizations Indivisible, Justice Democrats, and the National Organization for Women.
