Robin Kelly

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Robin Kelly
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Official portrait, 2022
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's Template:Ushr district
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 9, 2013[a]
Preceded byJesse Jackson Jr.
Chair of the Illinois Democratic Party
In office
Template:En dash range
Preceded byKaren Yarbrough (acting)
Succeeded byElizabeth Hernandez
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 38th district
In office
Template:En dash range
Preceded byHarold Murphy
Succeeded byAl Riley
Personal details
BornRobin Lynne Kelly
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New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedScript error: No such module "person date".
PartyDemocratic
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Nathaniel Horn
​
​
(m. 2003; died 2023)​
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Children2
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SignatureFile:Signature of Robin Kelly.svg
WebsiteHouse website
Campaign website
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  1. ^ Kelly's official service begins on the date of the special election, while she was not sworn in until April 11, 2013.[1]

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Robin Lynne Kelly (born April 30, 1956) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Template:Ushr since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Kelly served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007. She then served as chief of staff for Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias until 2010. She was the 2010 Democratic nominee for state treasurer, but lost the general election. Before running for Congress, Kelly served as the Cook County chief administrative officer. After winning the Democratic primary,[2] she won the 2013 special election to succeed Jesse Jackson Jr. in the U.S. House of Representatives.[3]

On May 6, 2025, Kelly announced she would be retiring to run for the United States Senate in 2026, being vacated by the retiring incumbent Dick Durbin. She placed third in the primary, losing to Juliana Stratton.[4]

Early life and education

The daughter of a grocer, Robin Lynne Kelly was born in Harlem[5] on April 30, 1956.[6] Hoping to become a child psychologist, she attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois,[5] where she joined Sigma Gamma Rho sorority. At Bradley, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in psychology (1977/1978) and her Master of Arts in counseling (1982).[6] While in Peoria, she directed a "crisis nursery" and worked in a hospital.[5]

Kelly earned her Doctor of Philosophy in political science from Northern Illinois University in 2004.[6]

Early career

From 1992 through 2006, Kelly served as a director of community affairs in Matteson.[6]

Illinois House of Representatives (2003-2007)

Elections

In 2002, Kelly defeated a ten-year incumbent Illinois state representative in the Democratic primary. In November, she defeated Republican Kitty Watson, 81%–19%.[7]

In 2004, she won reelection to a second term, defeating Republican Jack McInerney, 86%–14%.[8] In 2006, she won reelection to a third term unopposed.[9]

Committee assignments

  • Appropriations-Human Services
  • Housing & Urban Development
  • International Trade & Commerce
  • Local Government
  • Mass Transit (Vice Chair)
  • Para-transit
  • Whole[10]

State and county government

In January 2007, Kelly resigned her House seat to become chief of staff to Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. She was the first African-American woman to serve as chief of staff to an elected constitutional statewide officeholder.[11] Kelly was appointed Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle's chief administrative officer in 2011.

2010 Illinois treasurer election

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".In 2010, Kelly ran for Illinois treasurer. In the Democratic primary, she defeated founding member and senior executive of the Transportation Security Administration Justin Oberman, 58%–42%. She won most of the counties in the state, including Cook County with 59% of the vote.[12][13]

In the November general election, Republican State Senator Dan Rutherford defeated her 50%–45%. She won just six of the state's 102 counties: Cook (62%), Alexander (52%), Gallatin (51%), St. Clair (50%), Calhoun (49%), and Rock Island (48%).[14]

U.S. House of Representatives (2013-present)

File:Robin Kelly, 113th Congress.png
Kelly during the 113th Congress

2013 congressional election

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Kelly entered the field for Illinois's 2nd congressional district after Democrat Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned three weeks after being elected to a tenth term. On February 11, 2013, two Chicago-based Democratic congressmen, Bobby Rush and Danny Davis, endorsed her.[15]

On February 13, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky endorsed Kelly.[16] A few days later, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed her and committed $2 million in TV ads supporting her by highlighting Kelly's position on gun control. She was also endorsed by the Chicago Tribune.[17] On February 17, State Senator Toi Hutchinson decided to drop out to endorse Kelly.

On February 26, Kelly won the Democratic primary in the heavily Democratic, Black-majority district with 52% of the vote.[18][19] In the April 9 general election, she defeated Republican community activist Paul McKinley and a variety of independent candidates with around 71% of the vote.[3]

Tenure

File:Rep. Robin Kelly, 117th Congress (cropped).jpg
Kelly during the 117th Congress

Kelly took office on April 9, 2013,[6] and was sworn in on April 11.[20]

Committee assignments

For the 119th Congress:[21]

Caucus memberships

2026 U.S. Senate candidacy

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On May 6, 2025, Kelly announced she would be retiring to run for the United States Senate in 2026, being vacated by the retiring incumbent Dick Durbin.[4] Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and his allies allegedly discouraged Kelly to run,[25] though he denied the claims. [26] It was noted that Kelly was one of several Black women running for US Senate in 2026: including Juliana Stratton of Illinois, Pamela Stevenson of Kentucky and Catherine Fleming Bruce of South Carolina.[27][28]

Kelly ended up placing third in the Democratic primary to Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and her colleague United States Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, garnering only 18.3% of the vote.

Political positions

Kelly voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis.[29]

Syria

In 2023, Kelly was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.[30][31]

Personal life

Kelly lived in the Chicago suburb of Matteson, in a home she shared with her husband, Nathaniel Horn, until his death in August 2023. She currently resides in Lynwood.[5] Kelly is a nondenominational Protestant.[32]

Electoral history

Democratic primary for the 2002 Illinois 38th House district election[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly 10,870 56.04
Script error: No such module "Political party". Harold Murphy (incumbent) 8,526 43.96
Total votes 19,396 100.0
2002 Illinois 38th House district election[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly 26,739 80.95
Script error: No such module "Political party". Catherine (Kitty) Watson 6,292 19.05
Total votes 33,031 100.0
Democratic primary for the 2004 Illinois 38th House district election[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 16,028 81.74
Script error: No such module "Political party". Jonathan J. Jordan 3,580 18.26
Total votes 19,608 100.0
2004 Illinois 38th House district election[36]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 41,837 86.15
Script error: No such module "Political party". Jack McInerney 6,727 13.85
Total votes 48,564 100.0
2006 Illinois 38th House district election[37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 30,862 100.0
Total votes 30,862 100.0
Democratic primary for the 2010 Illinois State Treasurer election[38]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly 472,494 57.92
Script error: No such module "Political party". Justin P. Oberman 343,307 42.08
Total votes 815,801 100.0
2010 Illinois State Treasurer election[39]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Dan Rutherford 1,811,293 49.68
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly 1,650,244 45.26
Script error: No such module "Political party". Scott K. Summers 115,772 3.18
Script error: No such module "Political party". James Pauly 68,803 1.89
Total votes 3,646,112 100.0
Democratic primary for the 2013 Illinois 2nd congressional district special election[40]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly 31,079 53.27
Script error: No such module "Political party". Debbie Halvorson 14,650 25.11
Script error: No such module "Political party". Anthony Beale 6,457 11.07
Script error: No such module "Political party". Joyce W. Washington 2,563 4.39
Script error: No such module "Political party". Ernest B. Fenton 1,545 2.65
Script error: No such module "Political party". Anthony W. Williams 641 1.10
Script error: No such module "Political party". Mel "Mr" Reynolds 459 0.79
Script error: No such module "Political party". Clifford J. Eagleton 207 0.35
Script error: No such module "Political party". Fatimah N. Muhammad 194 0.33
Script error: No such module "Political party". Gregory Haynes 144 0.25
Script error: No such module "Political party". Larry D. Pickens 127 0.22
Script error: No such module "Political party". John Blyth 104 0.18
Script error: No such module "Political party". Victor Jonathan 91 0.16
Script error: No such module "Political party". Charles Rayburn 74 0.13
Script error: No such module "Political party". Denise Anita Hill 4 0.01
Total votes 58,339 100.0
2013 Illinois 2nd congressional district special election[41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly 58,834 70.72
Script error: No such module "Political party". Paul McKinley 18,387 22.10
Script error: No such module "Political party". Elizabeth "Liz" Pahlke 2,525 3.04
Script error: No such module "Political party". LeAlan M. Jones 1,531 1.84
Script error: No such module "Political party". Marcus Lewis 1,359 1.63
Script error: No such module "Political party". Curtiss Llong Bey 548 0.66
Write-in votes Steve Piekarczyk 9 0.01
Total votes 83,193 100.0
2014 Illinois 2nd congressional district election[42]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 160,337 78.49
Script error: No such module "Political party". Eric M. Wallace 43,799 21.44
Write-in votes Marcus Lewis 130 0.06
Total votes 204,266 100.0
Democratic primary for the 2016 Illinois 2nd congressional district election[43]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 115,752 73.92
Script error: No such module "Political party". Marcus Lewis 25,280 16.14
Script error: No such module "Political party". Charles Rayburn 9,559 6.10
Script error: No such module "Political party". Dorian C. L. Myrickes 6,002 3.83
Total votes 156,593 100.0
2016 Illinois 2nd congressional district election[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 235,051 79.81
Script error: No such module "Political party". John F. Morrow 59,471 20.19
Total votes 294,522 100.0
Democratic primary for the 2018 Illinois 2nd congressional district election[45]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 80,659 82.05
Script error: No such module "Political party". Marcus Lewis 17,640 17.95
Total votes 98,299 100.0
2018 Illinois 2nd congressional district election[46]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 190,684 81.06
Script error: No such module "Political party". David Merkle 44,567 18.94
Total votes 235,251 100.0
2020 Illinois 2nd congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 234,896 78.81
Script error: No such module "Political party". Theresa Raborn 63,142 21.19
Total votes 298,038 100.0
2022 Illinois 2nd congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 140,414 67.13
Script error: No such module "Political party". Thomas Lynch 68,761 32.87
Total votes 209,175 100.0
2024 Illinois 2nd congressional district election[47]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly (incumbent) 195,777 67.55
Script error: No such module "Political party". Ashley Ramos 94,004 32.43
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color; width: 2px;" | Write-in 62 0.02
Total votes 289,843 100.0
United States Senate election in Illinois Democratic Primary, 2026[48]
Party Candidate Votes %
Script error: No such module "Political party". Juliana Stratton 507,689 40.4
Script error: No such module "Political party". Raja Krishnamoorthi 411,150 32.7
Script error: No such module "Political party". Robin Kelly 229,788 18.3
Script error: No such module "Political party". Kevin Ryan 61,914 4.9
Script error: No such module "Political party". Bryan Maxwell 10,070 0.8
Script error: No such module "Political party". Sean Brown 8,122 0.6
Script error: No such module "Political party". Awisi Bustos 8,020 0.6
Script error: No such module "Political party". Christopher Swann 7,896 0.6
Script error: No such module "Political party". Jonathan Dean 6,762 0.5
Script error: No such module "Political party". Steve Botsford 5,411 0.4
Total votes 1,256,822 100.0

See also

References

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  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Isenstadt, Alex (February 26, 2013). "Kelly wins amid Bloomberg ad blitz". Politico. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Illinois Special Election Results". Politico.
  4. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."US Rep. Robin Kelly jumps into US Senate race to replace retiring Dick Durbin, losing to Juliana Stratton". Chicago Tribune. May 6, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Skiba, Katherine (April 14, 2013). "Robin Kelly hopes to change legacy of 2nd District seat". Chicago Tribune.
  6. ^ a b c d e Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Kelly, Robin L." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."IL State House 038 Race". Our Campaigns. November 5, 2002. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
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  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Illinois Races: Robin Kelly Running for State Treasurer". nbcchicago.com. November 2, 2009. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
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  48. ^ Script error: No such module "cite".

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