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Illinois' 7th Congressional District election, 2020 (March 17 Democratic primary)

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Illinois' 7th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 2, 2019
Primary: March 17, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent:
Danny K. Davis (Democratic)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Illinois
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic
Inside Elections: Solid Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
Illinois' 7th Congressional District
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th • 16th • 17th • 18th
Illinois elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020


Incumbent Danny K. Davis won the Democratic primary for Illinois' 7th Congressional District on March 17, 2020. Davis received 61.4% of the vote, followed by Kina Collins with 13.8%, Anthony Clark with 12.7%, and Kristine Schanbacher with 12.1%. Davis advanced to the district's general election on November 3, 2020.

Davis, who was first elected in 1996, stated, “I am running based on my record as a progressive, an advocate and voice for those whose voices are not adequately heard or represented in the Congress."[1] The Chicago Tribune, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (D) endorsed Davis.

Clark said that he was running "to eliminate inequality caused by white supremacy & capitalism."[2] The Chicago Sun-Times, Brand New Congress, the Buffalo Grove and Illinois/Chicago chapters of Our Revolution, and the Chicago chapter of Democratic Socialists of America endorsed Clark. In the district's 2018 Democratic primary, Clark received 26.1% of the vote to Davis' 73.9%.

Collins stated, "I have a proven track record of policy making, coalition building, and working with communities to improve public health and safety. ... I am nationally recognized for my healthcare and gun violence prevention advocacy work."[3] State Rep. Anna Moeller (D), Chicago Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, the Center for Popular Democracy, the National Organization For Women, and Illinois Women’s March endorsed Collins.

In a campaign ad, Schanbacher said, "We know how to build a better future … We just need the vision and energy to get it done. It’s frustrating, but Danny K. Davis is one of the most absent members of Congress. He’s missed more votes than 95% of his colleagues. And after 40 years in office, we need a change."[4] State Rep. Bob Morgan (D), Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen (D), and Chicago Aldermen Brendan Reilly, Brian Hopkins, and Michele Smith endorsed Schanbacher.

According to financial reports through February 26, 2020, Schanbacher led the candidates in fundraising with around $375,000, followed by Davis with $289,000, Clark with $119,000, and Collins with $100,000.

Major race rating outlets rated the general election as Solid Democratic or Safe Democratic. The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+38, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 38 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. Click here to learn more about what's at stake in the general election.

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:


Davis
Clark
Collins
Schanbacher


Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, click here.
Grey.png For more information about the general election, click here.

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Illinois modified its primary election process as follows:

  • Candidate filing procedures: Candidates for state-level office were exempted from filing statements of economic interests for the duration of the governor's disaster proclamation period and for 30 days thereafter.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.


Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 7

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Danny K. Davis
Danny K. Davis
 
60.2
 
79,813
Image of Kina Collins
Kina Collins Candidate Connection
 
13.9
 
18,399
Image of Anthony Clark
Anthony Clark Candidate Connection
 
13.0
 
17,206
Image of Kristine Schanbacher
Kristine Schanbacher Candidate Connection
 
13.0
 
17,187

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 132,605
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[5] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Danny K. Davis

Image of Danny K. Davis

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

 

U.S. House (Assumed office: 1997) 

Cook County Board of Commissioners (1990-1996) 

Chicago City Council (1979-1990)

Biography:  Davis graduated with a B.A. from Arkansas A.M. & N. College in 1961. He earned an M.S. from Chicago State University in 1968 and a Ph.D. from Union Institute in 1977. He worked as a teacher, health administrator, and community organizer.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Davis stated, “I am running based on my record as a progressive, an advocate and voice for those whose voices are not adequately heard or represented in the Congress. I run based on my record of representing the interests of the people of the 7th Congressional District and confirmed by the overwhelming support I have received at the polls.”

Davis’ campaign website said, “Over these past years I have had the opportunity to co-sponsor and vote on a huge variety of legislation. I have voted on budgets, on setting our national priorities, on creating new laws, repealing old laws, on impeaching a President, on going to war. It is a voting record I am proud of and one that I am pleased to say is a part of the public record.”

Davis said, “When people say they think somebody young ... or younger ... could do a better job, well I don’t agree … And I would venture to suggest that the majority of citizens of the 7th do not agree either. (Few candidates) can match our record of sensitivity to the needs of our people, or record of service or our record of accomplishment and achievement.”

Show sources

Sources: WTTW, "Danny K. Davis," accessed March 15, 2020 Danny K. Davis 2020 campaign website, "My record," accessed March 15, 2020 Chicago Tribue, "Chicago political titans Bobby Rush and Danny Davis have outlasted presidents and mayors. Their House primary challengers say they’re out of touch," February 10, 2020; Congressman Danny K. Davis, "Biography," accessed March 15, 2020 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "DAVIS, Danny K. (1941-)," accessed March 15, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Illinois District 7 in 2020.

Anthony Clark

Image of Anthony Clark

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Clark served in the U.S. Air Force from 2003-2009. He graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a B.A. in communications in 2008 and from the University of Phoenix with an M.A. in criminal justice in 2009. In 2011, he graduated from the National Louis University with an M.A. in special education, and in 2014, he received an M.A. in educational leadership from Roosevelt University. As of his 2020 campaign, Clark’s professional experience included being a high school teacher, founder and director of the Suburban Unity Alliance, and co-owner of Neighbors United LLC.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Clark said that he was running “to eliminate inequality caused by white supremacy & capitalism.”

Clark said he supported an Economic Bill of Rights including "housing, healthcare, education, and a job that pays a livable wage" as human rights. He also supported "reform of the criminal justice system, legalization of marijuana with a focus on racial justice, expansion of civil rights for LGBTQIA+ members, enactment of gun safety laws, an abolishment of ICE and a pathway to citizenship."

Clark said, “We need Democratic representatives that can speak truth to power & be unafraid to say that the Democratic party has played a role in the oppression of working class people. Racism & all oppressive 'isms are directly tied to economic inequality.”

Show sources

Sources: Twitter, Anthony Clark for Congress, accessed March 15, 2020 WTTW, "Anthony Clark," accessed March 15, 2020 Chicago Tribune, "Who is Anthony Clark, Democratic candidate for 7th Congressional District?" February 19, 2020; Information submitted on Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form on July 5, 2017 Anthony Clark 2020 campaign website, "Meet Anthony," accessed March 15, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Illinois District 7 in 2020.

Kina Collins

Image of Kina Collins

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Collins studied international political economy at Carthage College and sociology at Louisiana State University. As of her 2020 campaign, Collins’ professional experience included working as a regional organizer at Generation Progress, founding the Chicago Neighborhood Alliance, and working as a national organizer for the Physicians for a National Health Program.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Collins said, “I have a proven track record of policy making, coalition building, and working with communities to improve public health and safety. ... I am nationally recognized for my healthcare and gun violence prevention advocacy work.”

Collins stated, “My experience living in Austin makes me the only candidate in this race who deals with the everyday economic realities of marginalized communities all across the country. I have vowed to stay in the Austin community when I win because I believe those closest to the pain, should be closest to the power.”

Collins said, “Davis has been absent in our district … We are the fifth-most Democratic district in the nation. There would be no political backlash for us being bold, bodacious and pushing an equity agenda. We should be a model for how to advocate for a working-class community in Congress.”

Show sources

Sources: WTTW, "Kina Collins," accessed March 15, 2020 Chicago Tribune, "Chicago political titans Bobby Rush and Danny Davis have outlasted presidents and mayors. Their House primary challengers say they’re out of touch," February 10, 2020; LinkedIn, "Kina Collins," accessed March 15, 2020 

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Illinois District 7 in 2020.

Kristine Schanbacher

Image of Kristine Schanbacher

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Schanbacher graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in philosophy in 2009. She received a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 2012. As of her 2020 campaign, Schanbacher worked as an attorney and activist.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Schanbacher said, “I am running for U.S. Congress, because we should be doing better in almost all aspects of an organized society. We are a world leader in prison population, mass shootings, prescription drug prices, and guns per person. Instead, we can and should be leading the world in education, healthcare, human rights, innovation, green energy, infrastructure, and quality of life.”

Schanbacher stated, “In addition to my human rights victories in the courtroom, I have lobbied Congress to protect: food benefits, the right to choose, and the separation of church and state, and to enact common-sense gun safety regulations. I want to take my proven track record of getting things done and fighting for human rights from the courthouse into the halls of Congress.”

In a campaign ad, Schanbacher said, “We know how to build a better future … We just need the vision and energy to get it done. It’s frustrating, but Danny K. Davis is one of the most absent members of Congress. He’s missed more votes than 95% of his colleagues. And after 40 years in office, we need a change.”

Show sources

Sources: WTTW, "Kristine Schanbacher," accessed March 15, 2020 Twitter, "Kristine Schanbacher on February 26, 2020," accessed March 15, 2020; LinkedIn, "Kristine Schanbacher," accessed March 15, 2020 Kristine Schanbacher 2020 campaign website, "Kristine's Story," accessed March 15, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Illinois District 7 in 2020.


Endorsements

This section lists endorsements issued in this election. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Click on the links below to explore each candidate's full list of endorsements on their campaign websites:

Democratic primary endorsements
Endorsement Davis Clark Collins Schanbacher
Newspapers and editorials
Chicago Tribune[6] ✔
Chicago Defender[7] ✔
The Chicago Crusader[8] ✔
Chicago Sun-Times[9] ✔
Elected officials
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.)[10] ✔
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)[10] ✔
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (D)[10] ✔
State Rep. Anna Moeller (D)[11] ✔
State Rep. Bob Morgan (D)[12] ✔
Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen (D)[12] ✔
Two Chicago aldermen (hover over for list) ✔
Chicago Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor[11] ✔
Three Chicago aldermen (hover over for list) ✔
Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin (D)[10] ✔
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago President Kari Steele (D)[10] ✔
13 mayors (hover over for list) ✔
Berwyn Mayor Robert Lovero[12] ✔
Three Berwyn aldermen (hover over for list) ✔
Six Bellwood trustees (hover over for list) ✔
Four village trustees (hover over for list) ✔
District 97 School Board Member Cheree Moore[13] ✔
District 200 School Board President Jackie Moore[11] ✔
District 90 School Board Member Katie Avalos[11] ✔
Oak Park Library Board Trustee Christian Harris[13] ✔
Individuals
Writer, co-founder of Real Justice PAC Shaun King[13] ✔
Political strategist Peter Daou[13] ✔
Organizations
Independent Voters Organization – Independent Precinct Organization (IVO-IPO)[14] ✔
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 881[15] ✔
Our Revolution Illinois/Chicago[13] ✔
Our Revolution Buffalo Grove[13] ✔
Women for Justice[13] ✔
Brand New Congress[13] ✔
Progressives of Kane County[13] ✔
25th Ward IPO[13] ✔
Rizoma Collective[13] ✔
The People for Bernie[13] ✔
Democratic Socialists of America - Chicago[13] ✔
The Digital Left[13] ✔
The Desiree Alliance[13] ✔
Girl, I Guess[13] ✔
Demand Universal Healthcare (DUH!)[13] ✔
UChi4Bernie[13] ✔
Action Now[11] ✔
Americans for Democratic Action, Northeastern Illinois Chapter[11] ✔
National Organization For Women[11] ✔
Center for Popular Democracy[11] ✔
Women’s March - Illinois[11] ✔
Northside Democracy for America[11] ✔
Blue America[11] ✔
Good Kids Mad City of Chicago[11] ✔
Illinois Youth Climate Strike[11] ✔
Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee[12] ✔
Protect Our Heritage[12] ✔
CityPAC[12] ✔
JACPAC[12] ✔
WeWILL[12] ✔
Democratic Citizens of Berwyn[12] ✔
GAMMA[12] ✔

Timeline

2020

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Campaign themes were available on the following candidates' campaign websites as of March 12, 2020.

Anthony Clark

Clark’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Healthcare

We currently spend more on healthcare per capita than any other country on earth- while still leaving over 28 million of us insured, and millions more underinsured. Anthony believes that to fight this we must acknowledge healthcare as a human right, and establish a single-payer insurance system. Under Medicare For All, care would be free at the point of service and everyone would be covered, without exceptions.

Sanctuary

The right to sanctuary is the right to live without fear. As ICE continues to terrorize immigrant communities, and police all over the country continue their assault on black & brown people, we need leaders and lawmakers who recognize sanctuary as a human right.

Housing

Saying Housing is a human right means the government has an obligation to guarantee all people a safe, affordable place to live. We must stop putting profits over people, and that means installing regulations like rent control, and investing public money to make quality housing available to everyone. Let’s build homes for working families, not assets for investors.

Jobs

Black workers face unemployment at roughly twice the rate of white workers at all levels of education. In addition, the threat of unemployment/joblessness is what gives employers all their negotiating power over low-wage workers. We live in the richest nation in the history of the world, we shouldn’t accept anything less than a full employment economy. The right to a public job means you are guaranteed a job that pays a livable wage, no matter what. In addition to increasing workers’ bargaining power over things like benefits, hours and wages, a federal job guarantee will lower the crime rate, improve mental health, and create a stronger sense of community.

Education

The privatization and divestment of education within the United States has reached an all-time high. To Anthony, this is unacceptable. Education should be at the forefront of all elected officials’ priorities. As a teacher himself, Anthony knows that it is teachers who should be driving our education policy. Nobody knows what students need to succeed better than the educators who spend every day with them.

Justice

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Our country’s founders put these words in the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and yet today, over 200 years later, these rights continued to be denied. Anthony Clark’s campaign is calling for the establishment of authentic and actualized justice for all- justice that empowers ALL people, not just those who can pay for it.

”
—Anthony Clark[20]

Kina Collins

Collins' campaign website stated the following:

“

HEALTH CARE

I stand on the principle that healthcare is a fundamental human right. I believe that a single-payer Medicare for All system would bring us full and equitable access to quality healthcare for every resident in our country, including immigrants and undocumented people. I fully support the single-payer plan proposed in HR 1384, Medicare for All Act of 2019.

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION

Gun violence is a public health epidemic in our country, and I believe we need the research and resources to break the cycle. I will push for critical investments to be made in trauma-informed education, mental health services, and advocate for increases in flexible funding to support innovative solutions to gun violence in local communities.

IMMIGRATION

Immigrants and refugees come to the United States for a variety of reasons such as poverty, political unrest, persecution, or violence. I will advocate for greater foreign aid funding, allocate resources to support vulnerable populations targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and push to abolish ICE completely.

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

I support the rights of all people to have access to the full range of reproductive health services, without restrictions. This includes access to safe, legal, and affordable abortions for people who are pregnant.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

The current criminal justice system profits off of mass incarceration, targets communities of color, and continues to uphold institutional racism. I am committed to holding law enforcement officers accountable, increasing officer and leadership diversity, and eliminating racial profiling.

ECONOMY

The wealth gap in this country is a serious and immediate challenge, especially in the 7th congressional district. I believe in creating a fair and strong economy for all Americans, to help a healthy middle class grow instead of shrink and ensure that the federal minimum wage is raised to 15 dollars.

ENVIRONMENT

I fully support the Green New Deal and policies to secure clean air and water, climate and community resilience, healthy food, access to nature, and a sustainable environment for all. I will advocate for increased funding for the EPA and other agencies to immediately and aggressively combat the causes of climate change. I pledge to not take contributions from the oil, gas, and coal industry and instead prioritize the health of our families, climate, and democracy over fossil fuel industry profits.

EDUCATION

I believe that access to high-quality education is vital to addressing inequities in our communities and closing persistent opportunity gaps. From early Pre-K interventions through adult education, when an affordable, quality education system is accessible to all it helps reduce poverty, improve public health, and bolster the economy.

GENDER & SEXUAL ORIENTATION

We must ensure everyone has the same rights and protections irrespective of sexual orientation, sex, or gender identity and expression. I will support policies that affirm and protect all gender identities and sexual orientations, ensuring that everyone has full access to rights and benefits under the law.

VOTER SUPPRESSION

In our country, voting should be quick, easy, and fully accessible for all citizens in all districts. I will support investigations into gerrymandering, barriers to voter access, and states that have purged voter lists.

TAXES

We cannot afford to continuously give tax breaks to big banks, corporations, and the wealthiest 1% in our country. Tax reform must be conducted in a way that grows our revenue and protects working class families. I will push for the wealthiest individuals in our country to pay their fair share to reduce economic disparity.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE

We must stop the influence of “dark money” in campaigns from tax-exempt organizations that don’t disclose their donors. I commit to not accepting money from corporate PACs, fossil fuel, private insurance, or pharmaceutical donations for my campaign. I am proud to run a fully grassroots-funded campaign.[19]

”
—Kina Collins[21]

Kristine Schanbacher

Schanbacher’s campaign website stated the following:

“

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

We need to reform our criminal justice system and ensure that every reform is vetted through the lens of equity.

I support comprehensive reform, including:

  • Federally legalizing marijuana and ending the failed “war on drugs” which has disproportionately targeted and impacted black *and brown communities, and ensuring that our focus is on restorative justice for those who have been affected.
  • Providing federal funding for implicit bias training for law enforcement and emergency management services.
  • Reducing outrageously high prison population and promoting rehabilitative pathways for inmates, which will reduce recidivism.
  • Eliminating 1033 programs, reducing the over-militarization of police forces

We must treat gun violence as the public health crisis that it is by providing wrap around services to those most at risk of committing and being victims of gun violence. Increased federal funding and common sense gun safety regulations are necessary so that everyone is safe in their community.

ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITY

We must reduce the deficit. I will fight to repeal the GOP tax plan, which has already added trillions of dollars to our deficit.

We also need to get wasteful government spending under control. For example, we are wasting resources on manufacturing certain military equipment that even the Pentagon says is unneeded. We can better allocate such spending to manufacturing of green technology and infrastructure and funding public education, which will further strengthen local economies.

We also need to seize the opportunity to be a world leader in environmental clean-up and in green energy and infrastructure, so that the United States can utilize its innovation to expand our green economy.

ECONOMIC JUSTICE

Our economy has to work for everyone. I will fight to ensure that the minimum wage is a living wage, create protections for tipped workers and “gig economy” workers, and I will support unions and fight against so-called “Right to Work” laws. I will also fight to ensure pay equity for all workers, and ban the ability of employers to fire employees on the basis of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

ENVIRONMENT

I support the Green New Deal.

Climate change is a major threat to our national security and we must address it now. The United States must rejoin the Paris Climate Accords, and become an innovator and a leader in green technology.

We must address environmental racism, ensuring that communities of color do not continue to disproportionately bear the cost of our environmental policy failures. We must invest in urban green space, pollinator pockets, urban farming initiatives, and move the country towards an entirely renewable energy grid and net-zero carbon footprint.

I will work to drastically reduce, with the goal of eventually eliminating, non-recyclable packaging with a combination of tax incentives for sustainable packaging development and fees and fines for continuing to employ single-use plastics.

FAMILY LEAVE & CHILD CARE

When we support working families, we support our entire economy. I will fight for a family leave policy that guarantees parents paid paternity/maternity leave.

I support universal access to quality pre-K programs for all children, which will not only help close the achievement gap, but will also give parents an opportunity to rejoin the workforce.

FOOD SECURITY

I will fight to strengthen and improve the Supplemental Nutrition Access Program (SNAP) to reduce food insecurity. I support increased funding for school meal programs, and giving students and their families access to sufficient nutritious food on weekends and summer breaks. I support investments in urban farming initiatives, which not only reduce hunger and eliminate food deserts, but also benefit our environment.

HEALTHCARE

Healthcare is a human right. We need universal healthcare and that includes Medicare for all those that want it. We can’t have a strong and sustainable economy or an equitable and just society without a healthy population. I will fight for universal healthcare, including mental health care, affordable prescription drugs, and access to birth control and abortion care.

HIGHER EDUCATION

We need to rethink our approach to higher education and strengthen trade school programs. Lenders are making record profits due to predatory interest rates.

I support cutting student loan interest rates and making student loan debt dischargeable in bankruptcy proceedings.

HOUSING

We have an affordable housing crisis in the Chicagoland area.

I will fight for additional funding for affordable housing options and community programs to reduce homelessness in the district and to provide further assistance to working families.

IMMIGRATION

We must abolish the inhumane, cruel, ineffective, and expensive immigration system we have today, close the ICE detention camps, and pass comprehensive immigration reform. We must reform our immigration system so that all people are treated with dignity, there are clear pathways to citizenship, families are kept together, DACA recipients are protected, and everyone going through the immigration process has access to representation.

INFRASTRUCTURE

We must rebuild our crumbling roadways and bridges. But it isn’t enough to maintain and repair our infrastructure. We need to invest in roadways that are able to capture energy and convert it into a renewable power source, which would reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions.

We need to make a high-speed rail a reality. A high-speed rail system would boost our economy for years to come by creating a high volume of construction, manufacturing, engineering, and service jobs. And we need to update our air traffic system, making it more efficient.[19]

”
—Kristine Schanbacher[22]

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Danny K. Davis


A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.

Anthony Clark

"A World of Opportunity" - Clark campaign ad, released June 20, 2019


A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.


Kina Collins

"Campaign Launch Video" - Collins campaign ad, released September 19, 2019


Kristine Schanbacher

"Energy" - Schanbacher campaign ad, released February 26, 2020


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[23] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[24] The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Danny K. Davis Democratic Party $549,990 $510,806 $243,172 As of December 31, 2020
Anthony Clark Democratic Party $145,516 $145,516 $0 As of September 30, 2020
Kina Collins Democratic Party $108,037 $105,096 $2,941 As of December 31, 2020
Kristine Schanbacher Democratic Party $476,883 $476,616 $267 As of December 31, 2020

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.


Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[25][26][27]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

Interviews and questionnaires

Click the links below to view candidates' responses to questionnaires.

Debates and forums

February 20, 2020

All four candidates participated in a forum hosted by the South Austin Neighborhood Association.

Coverage:

January 30, 2020

Clark, Collins, and Schanbacher participated in a forum at the Austin Public Library in Chicago. Davis was represented by a spokesman, Ira Cohen.

Coverage:

Primaries in Illinois

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Illinois uses an open primary system. Voters do not have to register with a party, but they do have to choose, publicly, which party's ballot they will vote on at the primary election.[28][29]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

What's at stake in the general election?

U.S. House elections were held on November 3, 2020, and coincided with the 2020 presidential election. All 435 House districts were up for election, and the results determined control of the U.S. House in the 117th Congress.

At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232-197 advantage over Republicans. There was one Libertarian member, and there were five vacancies. Republicans needed to gain a net 21 seats to win control of the House. Democrats needed to gain seats or lose fewer than 14 net seats to keep their majority.

In the 2018 midterm election, Democrats had a net gain of 40 seats, winning a 235-200 majority in the House. Heading into the 2018 election, Republicans had a 235-193 majority with seven vacancies.

In the 25 previous House elections that coincided with a presidential election, the president's party had gained House seats in 16 elections and lost seats in nine. In years where the president's party won districts, the average gain was 18. In years where the president's party lost districts, the average loss was 27. Click here for more information on presidential partisanship and down-ballot outcomes.


General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[30]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[31][32][33]

Race ratings: Illinois' 7th Congressional District election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid DemocraticSolid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallSafe DemocraticSafe DemocraticSafe DemocraticSafe Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+38, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 38 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made Illinois' 7th Congressional District the sixth most Democratic nationally.[34]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.72. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.72 points toward that party.[35]

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Eleven of 102 Illinois counties—10.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. These are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Alexander County, Illinois 8.30% 13.65% 12.62%
Carroll County, Illinois 26.69% 1.49% 4.81%
Fulton County, Illinois 14.93% 11.04% 21.33%
Henderson County, Illinois 28.43% 12.25% 17.67%
Henry County, Illinois 20.99% 3.08% 7.74%
Jo Daviess County, Illinois 14.64% 1.16% 10.49%
Knox County, Illinois 2.91% 17.37% 19.89%
Mercer County, Illinois 20.36% 7.39% 11.91%
Putnam County, Illinois 19.92% 1.82% 15.64%
Warren County, Illinois 16.50% 5.47% 8.08%
Whiteside County, Illinois 6.18% 17.02% 17.56%

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Illinois with 55.8 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 38.8 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Illinois voted Republican 50 percent of the time and Democratic 50 percent of the time. Illinois voted Democratic in all five elections from 2000 to 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Illinois. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[36][37]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 75 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 39.2 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 76 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 42.1 points. Clinton won 13 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 43 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 15 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 42 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 22.1 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


District election history

2018

See also: Illinois' 7th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Illinois District 7

Incumbent Danny K. Davis defeated Craig Cameron in the general election for U.S. House Illinois District 7 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Danny K. Davis
Danny K. Davis (D)
 
87.6
 
215,746
Image of Craig Cameron
Craig Cameron (R)
 
12.4
 
30,497

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 246,243
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 7

Incumbent Danny K. Davis defeated Anthony Clark in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 7 on March 20, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Danny K. Davis
Danny K. Davis
 
73.9
 
81,570
Image of Anthony Clark
Anthony Clark
 
26.1
 
28,867

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 110,437
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 7

Craig Cameron defeated Jeffrey Leef in the Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 7 on March 20, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Craig Cameron
Craig Cameron
 
56.3
 
3,706
Image of Jeffrey Leef
Jeffrey Leef
 
43.7
 
2,873

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 6,579
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Illinois' 7th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Danny K. Davis (D) defeated Jeffrey Leef (R) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Davis defeated Thomas Day in the Democratic primary on March 15, 2016.[38][39]

U.S. House, Illinois District 7 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngDanny K. Davis Incumbent 84.2% 250,584
     Republican Jeffrey Leef 15.8% 46,882
Total Votes 297,466
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections


U.S. House, Illinois District 7 Democratic Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngDanny Davis Incumbent 81.2% 139,378
Thomas Day 18.8% 32,261
Total Votes 171,639
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections

2014

See also: Illinois' 7th Congressional District elections, 2014

The 7th Congressional District of Illinois held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Danny K. Davis (D) defeated Robert Bumpers (R) in the general election.

U.S. House, Illinois District 7 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngDanny K. Davis Incumbent 85.1% 155,110
     Republican Robert Bumpers 14.9% 27,168
Total Votes 182,278
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections Official Results

State profile

See also: Illinois and Illinois elections, 2020
USA Illinois location map.svg

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of March 5, 2020.

Presidential voting pattern

Congressional delegation

State executives

  • Democrats held six of 13 state executive offices. The Illinois Commerce Commission was composed of individuals with different affiliations. Elections for the other six offices were nonpartisan.
  • Illinois' governor was Democrat J.B. Pritzker.

State legislature

Illinois Party Control: 1992-2025
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D
Senate D R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
House D D D R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D

Illinois quick stats
  • Became a state in 1818
  • 21st state admitted to the United States
  • Illinois' population doubled every 10 years between 1820 and 1860,
    making it one of the fastest-growing places in the world at the time.[40]
  • Members of the Illinois State Senate: 59
  • Members of the Illinois House of Representatives: 118
  • U.S. senators: 2
  • U.S. representatives: 18
More Illinois coverage on Ballotpedia:


Demographic data for Illinois
 IllinoisU.S.
Total population:12,839,047316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):55,5193,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:72.3%73.6%
Black/African American:14.3%12.6%
Asian:5%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:16.5%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:87.9%86.7%
College graduation rate:32.3%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$57,574$53,889
Persons below poverty level:16.8%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Illinois.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ WTTW, "Danny K. Davis," accessed March 15, 2020
  2. ↑ Twitter, Anthony Clark for Congress, accessed March 15, 2020
  3. ↑ WTTW, "Kina Collins," accessed March 15, 2020
  4. ↑ Twitter, "Kristine Schanbacher on February 26, 2020," accessed March 15, 2020
  5. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  6. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Editorial: More choices for U.S. House: Quigley, Ives, Davis, Krishnamoorthi, Foster, Bansal ...," February14, 2020
  7. ↑ Chicago Defender, "Chicago Defender 2020 Election – Endorsement List," March 15, 2020
  8. ↑ The Chicago Crusader, "Our endorsements," March 13, 2020
  9. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "ENDORSEMENT: Anthony Clark for Congress in 7th District Democratic primary," February 12, 2020
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Danny K. Davis 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed March 15, 2020
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 Kina Collins 2020 campaign website, accessed March 12, 2020
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9 Kristine Schanbacher 2020 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed March 12, 2020
  13. ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 Anthony Clark 2020 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed March 12, 2020
  14. ↑ Danny K. Davis, "Congressman Danny K. Davis endorsed by Independent Voters Organization – Independent Precinct Organization -IVI-IPO ," accessed March 12, 2020
  15. ↑ Facebook, "Danny K. Davis on March 3, 2020," accessed March 12, 2020
  16. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Illinois - House District 07," accessed March 15, 2020
  17. ↑ Austin Talks, "U.S. House candidates debate issues at Austin forum," February 23, 2020
  18. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "7th District Congessional candidates trade barbs, debate issues at Austin town hall," January 31, 2020
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  20. ↑ Anthony Clark 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed March 12, 2020
  21. ↑ Kina Collins 2020 campaign website, "Kina on the Issues," accessed March 12, 2020
  22. ↑ Kristine Schanbacher 2020 campaign website, "Kristine’s Priorities," accessed March 12, 2020
  23. ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
  24. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
  25. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  26. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  27. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  28. ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "Illinois Compiled Statutes 10 ILCS 5/7-41," accessed August 12, 2024
  29. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 12, 2024
  30. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  31. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  32. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  33. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  34. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  35. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  36. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  37. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  38. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate List," accessed November 30, 2015
  39. ↑ The New York Times, "Illinois Primary Results," March 15, 2016
  40. ↑ Encyclopedia.com, "Illinois," accessed May 7, 2019


Illinois' current delegation to the United States Congress
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