As longtime Congressman Danny Davis decides whether he’s going to run again for the 7th district U.S. House of Representatives seat in 2026, other local politicians are throwing their hats in the ring to represent the area that covers much of Chicago’s West Side and near west suburban communities.
One such candidate is Rory Hoskins, who has been mayor of Forest Park since 2019 and works as an insurance attorney. He filed with the Federal Elections Commission to run for the seat on July 18 and already has priorities lined up for what he’d advocate for if elected.
“I want to serve the community, and I want to be a part of the effort to undo a lot of the harm currently being done in Washington D.C.,” Hoskins told Growing Community Media on why he’s running for Congress. He mentions wanting to restore safety net programs and veteran benefits, maintain the Department of Education, plus protect social security, Medicaid and Medicare.
While Davis has advocated to support health care and education efforts, both throughout his district and the country, Hoskins said Davis has also accomplished quite a bit in Hoskins’ own neighborhood.
“Congressman Davis has been a great representative for Forest Park. He’s helped us with infrastructure programs, so I’m going to continue in that tradition,” Hoskins said.
For example, this year, Davis submitted a project request to the Appropriations Committee for the Forest Park Water System Improvements Project. The $2 million request would help fund replacements to failing sections of the village’s water mains, improving water quality and availability for residents. And when Forest Park discussed options for building new water reservoirs earlier this year, Village Administrator Rachell Entler said Forest Park could receive up to $15 million in funding to cover them and was meeting with Congressman Davis’ office to discuss how to access such finances.
Hoskins said, if elected to the U.S. House, he would focus more on transportation, since the whole of the Eisenhower Expressway runs through the 7th congressional district, along with several CTA and Metra train lines. Hoskins has been a staunch advocate for the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act, filed with the Illinois House of Representatives last year, which would merge the CTA, Metra and Pace into one entity.
“Part of my work in advocating for transit governance reform and transit agency consolidation would factor into my work in Congress, if I were to serve,” Hoskins said, adding that he’d seek appointment to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
“I would also work on returning the federal government to a place that really works to combat and prevent extremism and violent extremism,” Hoskins said. “I think if state, local and federal governments work together, they can come up with ways to address the rise that we’ve seen in extremism and polarization.”
Hoskins and his family have lived in Forest Park since 1999. He has twice been elected to serve as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, meaning he cast a vote for the Democratic party’s presidential nominee. In 2023, he was appointed to the Inter-Governmental Policy Advisory Committee that assists the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Before becoming mayor, Hoskins served as a Forest Park village commissioner from 2007 to 2015. He said the village of Forest Park has similar demographics to the 7th congressional district.
According to Data USA, in 2023, the 7th congressional district had over 737,000 residents with a median household income of more than $80,000 and a poverty rate of over 18%. The median age was 35 and about 41% of the district was Black, 30% white, nearly 9% Asian and 7% Hispanic. In 2023, Forest Park had about 14,000 residents with a median household income over $81,000 and a poverty rate of over 10%. With a median age of 40, about 53% of the population was white, nearly 25% Black, about 7% Asian and 6% Hispanic.
As Davis contemplates running for reelection, there’s the opportunity for someone who grew up in a different era to take his place. Hoskins is in his early 50s, and Davis is 83.
“There is a generational shift that is occurring,” Hoskins said. “I believe I have a broad set of relationships and experiences that would allow me to effectively engage and represent the entire district.”
With a potentially open seat in a highly Democratic district, the line is lengthening to run in the 7th district primary if Davis retires. So far, the list includes State Representative La Shawn Ford, Chicago attorney Jason Friedman, former Marine John McCombs, pastor Jerico J. Brown, and Richard Boykin — former member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners for the 1st district. Tekita Martinez and Danica David Leigh are also running as Democrats, and Emelia Rosie filed with no political party affiliation.
