U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Matteson), chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, will not seek a full term when Democratic state central committeemen and -women meet today in Springfield.
Bill Houlihan of Springfield, the 13th District committeeman, said Friday Kelly decided to drop out and avoid a fight once the Latino Caucus pulled its support of Kelly in favor of State Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero), who now has enough support to win.
Kelly is Black; Hernandez is Latina, Houlihan says the party keeps breaking barriers, with Kelly having “opened the party.”
Kelly has had the support of Houlihan and his former boss, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), while Hernandez is Gov. JB Pritzker’s choice. Houlihan, though, downplayed reports of a squabble between the two Democrats.