The Stakes of Illinois’s New Majority-Latinx Congressional Seat
This month’s primary is the first time voting will take place for a new congressional district drawn by state lawmakers to more broadly represent the growth and spread of Chicago-area Latinx people. Their spurt in population in Cook County and the collar counties largely flew under the radar until 2020 Census data showed that the multiethnic group gained more than two million Illinois residents over the last decade, and their presence extended well beyond the city and county.
The reshaped 3rd Congressional District—its previous iteration was represented by Rep. Marie Newman, who is now running for the redrawn 6th District—was reconfigured during the redistricting process that happens every ten years to account for population changes. Prior to the remap, there was only one congressional district in Illinois that was majority Latinx: the 4th District, represented by Mexican-American Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García.
The 3rd District’s new boundaries no longer cover the southwest suburbs, but extend as far north as Albany Park, and stretch westward into racially diverse municipalities including Addison, Rosemont, Elgin, Bensenville, and West Chicago. The 4th District was also redrawn to accommodate those southwest suburban areas previously represented by the 3rd.