Donna Miller secures Illinois House seat following Robin Kelly exit
The Cook County commissioner defeated Republican Mike Noack and independent Ashley Banks in a race to replace the former representative who sought the Senate.
By Luka Evans ·
Democrat Donna Miller declared victory Tuesday night in Chicago Heights to claim the open congressional seat for Illinois' 2nd District. She will replace Robin Kelly, who has held the position since 2012 before leaving for a unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate.
Miller, a Cook County commissioner and former healthcare executive, won the primary earlier this year. She defeated a field that included Jesse Jackson Jr., the district's previous representative. Her background includes a family history on a small farm in Champaign County.
Her Republican opponent, Mike Noack, is a truck driver from a small town west of Kankakee. He ran for political office for the first time in this election. Noack cited the immigration system as a key point of disagreement with the current administration, noting that his wife was born in Japan.
Independent candidate Ashley Banks ran as a write-in from Chicago. She is a former CTA bus driver and freelance journalist who moved to Kankakee to focus on downstate issues. Banks also entered the race without prior political office experience.
The 2nd District stretches from Chicago's South Side through the south suburbs to Danville. ABC News projects that Democrats will gain control of the U.S. House based on results from this and other races.
