Overview

• Davis, who turns 84 in September, announced he will not seek a 16th term after serving 15 terms since his 1996 election.
• At a West Side news conference, he formally endorsed State Rep. La Shawn Ford as his preferred successor and agreed to chair Ford’s campaign.
• His retirement follows earlier exits by Rep. Jan Schakowsky and other senior Illinois Democrats, bringing to four the total of open House seats for the 2026 midterms.
• The 7th District, which covers downtown Chicago, the West and South Sides and nearby suburbs, remains a safely Democratic seat where the primary winner is heavily favored.
• A broad field of former staffers, local officials and community figures have declared or are weighing bids for the March Democratic primary.