CHICAGO — Longtime U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky will announce whether she plans to seek reelection at an event in early May, she wrote Wednesday in a social media post that indicated she hasn’t yet made up her mind.

“I will make that decision in the coming weeks and announce on May 5,” Schakowsky wrote in a post on the social media platform X that went up shortly after Politico, citing unnamed sources, reported Schakowsky, 80, planned to announce her retirement after 14 terms in the House.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, another Washington veteran representing Illinois on the national stage, announced earlier Wednesday that he won’t seek a sixth term, instantly sparking renewed speculation about who will run for his seat in 2026.

While Schakowsky has yet to make her announcement, there’s already at least one person vying for her seat. Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old progressive political influencer and newcomer to Illinois, raised more money than Schakowsky during the last quarter, according to campaign finance records.

Schakowsky, whose district stretches from the northern edge of Chicago into the suburbs, still appeared to be fundraising in recent weeks, and in an email to supporters in late March referred to Abughazaleh as “my new opponent.”

On May 5, the date of the expected announcement, Schakowsky is hosting a “Women’s Power Lunch” charging guests $150 to $7,000 for tickets, according to a web page for the event. Gov. JB Pritzker, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland are slated to attend, the page said. Previous guests to the lunch event have included Schakowsky’s ally and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California.

Schakowsky was first elected to the seat in 1998 after beating Pritzker in the Democratic primary election.

If Schakowsky decides to follow Durbin, who also is 80, into retirement, she’ll open a rare opportunity for Democrats in and around her north suburban district. Schakowsky’s successor, like Durbin’s, would likely mark a generational change in who represents Illinois in Washington.

Among candidates observers have said are strong contenders for the safely Democratic seat are Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and two state lawmakers, Sen. Laura Fine and Rep. Kelly Cassidy.

Abughazaleh has proven to be a formidable fundraiser with a promise to focus on small-dollar donations, though the vast majority of her contributors appear to live outside the district, according to Federal Election Commission filings. During the first quarter she raised about $379,000, while Schakowsky took in only a little bit more than $213,000.

Schakowsky, however, has far more cash on hand, $877,000, than her potential opponent, whose bankroll totaled $364,000.

Abughazaleh is best known for her social media content criticizing Republicans and their policies, and has said in media reports that she’s new to the Chicago area.

Schakowsky serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and represented the 18th District in the Illinois General Assembly prior to her time in Congress. In the House, she’s advocated for health care legislation including the Affordable Care Act under President Barack Obama.

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