US Rep. Robin Kelly wins sixth term in office over GOP challenger Tom Lynch

The Associated Press has declared Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly the winner of the 2nd Congressional District race.

Kelly, of Matteson, has held the 2nd District seat since 2013, when she won the election to succeed disgraced U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who had resigned and pleaded guilty to using campaign money to buy gifts for himself and his wife, former Ald. Sandi Jackson.

Following the 2020 census, was redrawn but remains a heavily Democratic district, now stretching from the South Side of Chicago to Danville.

In Congress, Kelly has pushed for federal gun control and focused particularly on cracking down on straw purchases of firearms.

Kelly’s bid for a sixth term occurred during a tumultuous year. In July, she dropped her bid to continue as chair of the Illinois Democratic Party after it became clear state Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez of Cicero would win the post with the backing of Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Army veteran and state meat inspector Thomas Lynch was the long-shot Republican candidate in a district Joe Biden won in 2020 with 69.3% of the vote to 29.3% for Donald Trump, according to a Daily Kos analysis.

Lynch, an Iroquois County Board member from downstate Cissna Park, made cutting government spending to bring inflation under control the cornerstone of his campaign.