Former U.S. Representative Melissa Bean has secured the Democratic nomination for Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, capturing approximately 32 percent of the vote to defeat a crowded field of seven challengers. Major outlets, including the Associated Press, CBS News, and WTTW, officially called the primary race on the evening of March 17, with decisive updates issued at 9:24 PM CDT.
Bean will face software company owner Jennifer Davis in the November general election. Davis won the Republican primary on the same night, securing 51.2 percent of the vote to defeat challengers Mark Rice, Kevin Ake, and Herbert Hebein. The two candidates are vying for the seat vacated by incumbent Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who left the position to run for the U.S. Senate.
In the Democratic race, progressive tech businessman Junaid Ahmed finished in second place, securing between 26.5 percent and 26.7 percent of the vote. Attorney and Army veteran Dan Tully finished third with 12.5 percent.
Bean’s primary victory marks a return to the political arena for the former representative, who previously held the 8th District seat for three terms from 2005 to 2011. She narrowly lost the seat in the 2010 midterm elections to conservative Joe Walsh following her vote in favor of the Affordable Care Act.
NYT: Centrist Melissa Bean Wins 8th District Democratic Primary https://t.co/PE9hFxblwq via @NYTimes
— Michael LaRosa (@MichaelLaRosaDC) March 18, 2026
Since her defeat in 2010, Bean has spent 15 years working in the private sector for financial firms, including JPMorgan Chase and Mesirow Financial. Her 2026 campaign platform centered on economic affordability and the protection of reproductive rights.
The 8th Congressional District encompasses the Far Northwest Side of Chicago and extends across several suburbs within Cook, DuPage, and Kane counties. A Republican candidate has not won the district since Walsh’s victory in 2010.
Krishnamoorthi, whose departure opened the 8th District seat, was defeated by Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate on the same evening.