It’s official! Chicago Urban League President and CEO Andrea Zopp is entering the 2016 Illinois U.S. Senate race, she confirmed Friday to NBC 5 Chicago. Although, there was some speculation when the announcement would be made, she has thrown her hat in the ring.
The Chicago Sun-Times first reported Thursday that Zopp, a member of the Chicago Board of Education, would make her announcement.
Since Senator Carol Moseley Braun, an African American woman candidate has not entered the Illinois senate race. Will the Black community rally around Zopp for her bid for the Senate seat? Right now, with battle between CTU and CPS, she could become a sitting duck for the criticism ahead with a possible school strike looming if an agreement is not reached by the end by the summer.
U.S. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL,8) has already launched a 2016 Senate bid, meaning she and Zopp will face off in the Democratic primary race. The candidate who wins the Democratic nomination will go against U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), who is seeking re-election.
In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times Friday, Kirk said he’d prefer Zopp as his challenger in the general election.
“Zopp is an easier candidate for me to defeat … Because she’s not as well known,” the Republican senator said, adding that “Tammy is a war hero. She has a great story to tell because she’s given a lot to this country. ”
A Republican, Kirk has begun his push with an empathic commercial ad documenting his struggle from a massive stroke in January 2012 which debuted last week on major television outlets. His strongest opponent is Duckworth both sharing a military background but don’t rule out Andrea Zopp yet.
There’s never a dull moment in Illinois politics.
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