Battle for control of U.S. House includes suburban matchups

A music school owner, a software consultant and a real estate agent are among the Republicans hoping to unseat Democratic congressional representatives serving the North, West and Northwest suburbs.

Even though state lawmakers deliberately drew the borders for the suburban congressional districts to favor Democratic candidates, none of the incumbents is getting a free pass to reelection. Every one of them has a challenger.

Here’s a final look at those matchups.

10th District

Republican Jim Carris of Lake Forest, left, and Democrat U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of Highland Park are the candidates for Illinois’ 10th District seat.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of Highland Park is being challenged by Republican real estate executive Jim Carris of Lake Forest in the 10th District.

Both agree that the U.S. should support Israel in its war against Hamas and other terrorist groups, but Carris criticized the Biden administration for not sanctioning Iran and for calling for a ceasefire before hostages would be released.

Both also believe the U.S. should continue supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Schneider touted his work on gun control legislation, tax reform policies and reducing medical costs. Carris said his business experience would be advantageous in Congress, insisting that a more pro-business environment would encourage job growth and provide economic stability for the middle class.

The 10th District encompasses parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.

8th District

Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, left, and Republican Mark Rice are running for Illinois’ 8th Congressional District seat.

Seeking his fifth term, Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg is facing a challenge from first-time Republican candidate Mark Rice of Chicago.

On the war in Ukraine, Rice said he’s giving former President Donald Trump the benefit of the doubt in his claims that he can end the war quickly if reelected. Krishnamoorthi disagrees strongly with any suggestion that America’s support of its allies is conditional. He added that he believes China’s leader Xi Jinping is watching the U.S. response in Ukraine as an indication of how it would react to an invasion of Taiwan.

When asked about the immigration reform legislation that had bipartisan support but then crumbled earlier this year after Trump lobbied against it, Krishnamoorthi said he would vote for it. Rice said he’d vote against it, saying it was too partisan and allowed too many people to illegally enter the U.S.

The 8th District includes parts of Cook, DuPage and Kane counties. Rice lives outside the district but legally would be able to serve if elected.

6th District

Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, left, is being challenged by Republican Niki Conforti in Illinois’ 6th Congressional District.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Downers Grove is being challenged by Republican energy consultant Niki Conforti of Glen Ellyn in the 6th District, which includes parts of Cook and DuPage counties. They are far apart on most issues.

While Casten believes a woman’s right to seek an abortion should be protected nationally, Conforti supports the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling and let states set their own abortion laws.

And while Conforti defended Trump and running mate JD Vance for perpetuating debunked claims that immigrants are eating pets and wild animals in an Ohio town, Casten said comments like that “traffic in hatred.”

The 6th District includes parts of Cook and DuPage counties.

11th District

Republican Jerry Evans, left, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster are the candidates for Illinois’ 11th District seat.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville is defending his seat against Republican Jerry Evans of Warrenville. Foster is a former entrepreneur and scientist who has served the 11th District since 2013 and previously represented the 14th District. Evans, who operates a Wheaton music school that bears his name, is making his third consecutive bid for Congress.

Foster said the most important issue of the election is the threat to democracy posed by politicians who say things they know aren’t true. Evans cited immigration as the top issue, but said Congress must help migrants who were brought to the U.S. as children.

On the economy, Foster said he supports legislation that would ensure every worker has the right to form a labor union. He also backs legislation that would raise the federal minimum wage and eliminate the lower minimum wages for tipped workers and people with disabilities.

Evans said the federal government needs to rein in spending to reduce the deficit. He also said Congress must help students train for the jobs of the future, including in computer programming, artificial intelligence and data analytics.

The 11th District encompasses portions of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, DeKalb and Boone counties.

5th District

Republican Tommy Hanson, left, is once again challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley in the 5th District.

Veteran Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley of Chicago is once again facing Republican Tommy Hanson in the 5th Congressional District. Hanson, a real estate agent from Chicago, lost to Quigley in 2018, 2020 and 2022. Hanson also ran for the seat in 2008.

Quigley has represented the district since 2009. He’s a vocal supporter of Ukraine, Israel, the LGBTQ community and abortion rights.

Hanson refused to be interviewed by the Daily Herald this election cycle. His campaign website lists immigration and the federal deficit as top concerns.

The 5th Congressional District cuts diagonally through Cook and Lake counties between Chicago’s North Side and the Barrington area.

9th District

Republican Seth Cohen of Chicago, left, is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston for her 9th District seat.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston is being challenged in the 9th District by Republican Seth Cohen of Chicago.

Schakowsky is an outspoken proponent of gun control laws and wants a federal ban on assault weapons, while Cohen — a U.S. Marine veteran who now leads a nonprofit organization — opposes new gun laws and said the problem is the people who use guns, not the weapons.

Schakowsky has demonstrated for abortion rights and criticized the Supreme Court’s decision leaving abortion laws to states. Cohen supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade but refused to say if he thinks women should be allowed to have abortions or not.

Both Schakowsky and Cohen are Jewish, but have differing opinions on Israel’s war with terrorists in Gaza. Schakowsky has called for a diplomatic end to the war, humanitarian assistance in Gaza and the release of all hostages there; Cohen called the war “a moral imperative” and said the U.S. should help Israel “annihilate” Hamas and its allies.

The 9th District includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.

3rd District

Republican John Booras, left, is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez for her 3rd District seat.

The race in the 3rd Congressional District is a showdown between Democratic U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez and Republican challenger John Booras, a property tax attorney.

Both are Chicagoans who have touted their working-class and diverse roots; Ramirez’s parents came to the U.S. from Guatemala and Booras’ from Greece.

Ramirez priorities include the economy, making housing accessible, reproductive rights and immigration reform.

Booras, a former police officer, said his focuses include reducing crime, fixing the tax and immigration systems and parents’ rights.

The district includes parts of DuPage and Cook counties.

14th District

Republican James Marter, left, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood are running for Illinois’ 14th Congressional District seat.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood of Naperville and Republican challenger James Marter of Oswego share little ground on the issues facing the nation and Illinois’ 14th District.

Underwood, who is seeking a fourth term, is a staunch supporter of the Affordable Care Act and of a woman’s right to choose abortion. Marter, a software consultant and library board member, opposes abortion without exception.

Marter called immigration his top issue and called the flow of migrants into the U.S. an “invasion.” He opposes creating a pathway to citizenship for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children and said the U.S. should end birthright citizenship for babies born on U.S. soil to noncitizen parents.

Underwood supports creating a pathway to citizenship for immigrants brought here as children, as well as for migrant farmworkers and their families. She also lashed out at the GOP governors who have sent groups of newly arrived migrants to other states; Marter defended those governors.

Marter previously ran for Congress in 2018, 2020 and 2022 and for U.S. Senate in 2016.

The 14th District includes parts of Kane, Will and five other counties.

· Daily Herald staff writers Eric Peterson and Marni Pyke contributed to this report.