Reproductive Rights Politics

Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, a former Planned Parenthood of Illinois board member, won Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, defeating former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and state Sen. Robert Peters in a safely Democratic seat that stretches from Chicago south along the Indiana border. Miller, who joined the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 2018, ran on health care affordability and maternal health and vowed in campaign materials to defend reproductive rights and lower costs. Federal Election Commission records cited in the report show she raised about $1.9 million, far more than either Jackson or Peters, helping power her victory. She is seeking to succeed seven‑term Rep. Robin Kelly, who is running for U.S. Senate, and will face Republican nominee Mike Noack, a truck driver who ran unopposed, in November. Given the district’s 70‑year history as a Democratic stronghold and Kelly’s 35‑point win in 2024, Miller enters the general election as a prohibitive favorite and a likely future House member on health‑care and abortion debates.