Illinois’ 4th Congressional District has an open seat and an independent challenger this November. Retiring Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García announced his departure after the filing deadline, leaving Democrat Patty Garcia unopposed in the primary and sparking a wave of independent bids. Four candidates made the ballot: Garcia, Republican Lupe Castillo, Working Class Party candidate Ed Hershey, and independent Chris Getty. Independents Mayra Macías and Byron Sigcho-Lopez were removed on July 21 for falling short of the required petition signatures.
Illinois’ 4th is one of the most heavily Latino districts in the country and one of the bluest—rated Safe Democratic, with a partisan lean of about D+17. For most of the last decade the general election was a formality. 2026 is different, and the reason is procedural: the longtime incumbent filed for re-election and then announced his retirement after the filing deadline closed, which left his former chief of staff as the only Democrat on the March primary ballot. Several candidates responded by launching independent campaigns, each gathering thousands of petition signatures to reach the November ballot. The result is an open seat with a four-way ballot, and a real test of whether a district this lopsided still offers voters a meaningful choice. This page lays out that choice without taking a side in it.
The longtime incumbent filed for re-election and then announced his retirement after the filing deadline closed. Several candidates responded by launching independent campaigns. The result is an open seat with a four-way ballot.
Illinois’ 4th is one of the most heavily Latino districts in the country and one of the bluest—rated Safe Democratic, with a partisan lean of about D+17. For most of the last decade the general election was a formality. 2026 is different, and the reason is procedural: the longtime incumbent filed for re-election and then announced his retirement after the filing deadline closed, which left his former chief of staff as the only Democrat on the March primary ballot. Several candidates responded by launching independent campaigns, each gathering thousands of petition signatures to reach the November ballot. The result is an open seat with a four-way ballot, and a real test of whether a district this lopsided still offers voters a meaningful choice. This page lays out that choice without taking a side in it.
Illinois' 4th Congressional District, 2022 (Working Class Party, lost); 2024 (Working Class Party, lost); Chicago 25th Ward Alderman, 2015 (lost)
High school teacher at Lindblom High School in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood for over 16 years; Chicago Teachers Union representative at his school for a decade. University of Chicago graduate (2001). The Working Class Party retained automatic ballot access in IL-04 after receiving over 5% of the vote in 2024.
First-time candidate for federal office, 2026; multiple terms as Lyons Mayor and Township Supervisor
Mayor of the Village of Lyons, Illinois; licensed insurance producer; former elected Lyons Township Supervisor; born and raised in Lyons
Illinois’ 4th Congressional District, 2024 (lost)
43-year resident of Illinois' 4th Congressional District; wife and mother; won the 2026 Republican primary
First-time candidate, 2026
Chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García since 2023 and previously his district director; Ph.D. in educational policy studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; won the 2026 Democratic primary unopposed.
A member of Congress doesn't run your city or your state, but they vote on the federal questions that shape daily life here—and IL-04 has a distinct set of concerns. The voter file and local discourse point to a clear list.
From institutional transparency to whether a district this lopsided still gives voters a genuine choice on the ballot—accountability is a live issue in IL-04 in 2026.
A documented cross-partisan flashpoint locally: whether public money should subsidize billionaire-owned megaprojects. The Chicago Bears stadium debate is the live local example.
A fast-rising, left-right concern about AI surveillance, age-verification laws, and government and corporate tracking. Voters across the spectrum in IL-04 are paying attention.
By far the most-flagged issue in IL-04—three of four voters carry it. The future of immigration policy, due process, and the stability of mixed-status families will be shaped by the next Congress.
Transit, lead-pipe replacement, and the tangible public works that residents across the spectrum rate highly when they're delivered on time.
Wages, prices, housing costs, and whether federal policy is felt as relief or as pressure on working households in IL-04.
Illinois doesn't register voters by party. There's no box on your registration that ties you to one. All ~402,000 registered voters in IL-04 are, in the records, independent—and in this district, nearly two-thirds are classified as persuadable.
Illinois doesn't register voters by party. There's no box on your registration that ties you to one. All ~402,000 registered voters in IL-04 are, in the records, independent—and in this district, nearly two-thirds are classified as persuadable. That's not a technicality; it's a description of who actually decides elections here. You are not locked into a team. You can look at every candidate on this ballot on the merits and decide for yourself. That's exactly what this page is built to help you do. Independent Center exists for voters like you. We poll independent voters so their views get counted. We educate independent voters about their options. And we push for the structural reforms—fair ballot access, open competition, transparent government—that keep unaffiliated voters at the center of American democracy.
