U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García won’t seek reelection in Illinois’ 4th Congressional District and instead set up a plan for his chief of staff to obtain the seat, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Patty Garcia, the congressman’s chief of staff, filed a petition to enter the race at 4:38 p.m., just minutes prior to Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Rep. Garcia had filed for reelection on Oct. 27. The congressman and his chief of staff aren’t related.
The 69-year-old congressman, who is deputy whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has represented the 4th District since 2019 and was reelected three times.
He served as alderman of the city’s 22nd Ward for seven years, from 1986 to 1993. Garcia was also a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and served on the Illinois Senate before being elected to Congress.
Chicago Ald. Ray Lopez, who ran against García in 2024, described Monday’s maneuver as “machine tactics.”
“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? #Hypocrites,” Lopez said in a post on X.
The nonprofit organization The Urban Center called the move “a classic machine maneuver from a career politician who seeks to deny voters a say on their representation…”
Garcia becomes the latest Chicago-area congress member to not seek reelection.
Danny Davis and Jan Schakowsky, who represent the 7th and 9th districts respectively, aren’t running for reelection. Second District Rep. Robin Kelly and 8th District Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi also aren’t vying for another term and are running for U.S. Senate instead.