By: Ashmar Mandou
Democratic Representative Jesús “Chuy” García, 69, confirmed on Tuesday that he will not seek reelection next year in Illinois. The move sets up a “coronation” for his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, who filed as the only other person to run for his seat right at the deadline on Monday night.
Rep. García filed to run for reelection with the Illinois State Board of Elections on October 27th. However, just ahead of Monday evening’s deadline, his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, filed with the board. In an interview with Illinois-based Capitol Fax, García said he decided not to run again after discussions with his family and his cardiologist. “My decision was based on love for my family, for my community, and for, you know, not just someone who talks about family values and fights for families, but being about it,” García said. The lawmaker, who was first elected to Congress in 2018, represents the state’s 4th Congressional District.
A few elected officials have called the move a “machine tactic.” Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, a former challenger of Rep. García, criticized the move telling reporters that “the machine’s gonna do what the machine’s gonna do.” Upon the announcement Ald. Lopez took to X to write, “”Chuy coronates his Chief of Staff to replace him using same machine tactics that got him the seat from Luis Gutierrez, denies a true open primary like every other open congressional district race but hey, #NoKings right?”” The Urban Center, a centrist nonprofit organization in Chicago, also slammed the maneuver. In a statement, Juan Rangel, CEO of The Urban Center, classified the move as a “classic machine maneuver from a career politician who seeks to deny the voters a say on their representation,” Patty Garcia, who is not related to the congressman, filed a statement of candidacy with the Illinois Board of Elections just before the deadline Monday. Patty Garcia previously served as the congressman’s district director, and prior to that, she served with the Latino Center for Leadership Development.
Rep. García stared as an alderman on the Chicago City Council from 1986 to 1993 then served in the Illinois Senate from 1993 to 1999 and on the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 2011 to 2018. He also ran for mayor of Chicago twice, coming in second to Rahm Emanuel in 2015 and fourth to Brandon Johnson, Paul Vallas, and Lori Lightfoot in 2023. The Democratic primary in the 4th District is set for March 17th, 2026.
