A race for a safe blue seat tests how far left Democrats want new leaders to go A race for a safe blue seat tests how far left Democrats want new leaders to go The push for generational change in the Democratic Party faces a test in a Chicago-area congressional district, where the top candidates span three generations: from Gen X and millennials to Gen Z. On an overcast Saturday in Evanston, Ill., as local union members file into a small campaign office, sip coffee and get ready to go canvass, a classic campaign scene begins to take shape. "This group of people here this morning is the best reminder of what's at stake," said Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston. "We are in a crisis for working people in this country." He's running to represent the state's 9th congressional district, an area that includes Evanston and a stretch of the north side of Chicago. It's been held by Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky, 81, for the last 27 years. But her impending retirement opens up a rare vacancy, and Biss is one of 15 Democrats vying to succeed her, with top candidates spanning three generations, from Gen X and millennials to Gen Z. The race for this safe blue seat comes as many within the Democratic base are calling for change within their party, with some demanding a new generation of leaders. In Illinois' primary on Tuesday, residents in this district will help decide what the next chapter of Democratic leadership might look like. "I would say that the transition from Jan Schakowsky to me is one of generational change, for sure," Biss said in an interview. Biss, who is 48 and Gen X, leads in local polls and has the backing of Schakowsky, as well as other party leaders like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. As supporters head out to knock on doors, he argues he's most equipped to meet this moment.#daniel_biss #jan_schakowsky #elizabeth_warren #kat_abughazaleh #evanston_illinois
