U.S. Rep. Danny Davis easily dispatches challengers in 2024 primary
CHICAGO (CBS) -- U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Illinois) easily won his Democratic primary bid for a 15th term in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday, despite what had been considered a serious challenge by two candidates.
Davis was first elected to Congress in 1996. He has been a public official for 45 years, and will have secured 30 years in the House of Representatives when he begins his new term next winter.
"It's a reaffirmation that when people have courage, when people have relationships, when people are willing to work – and work across racial, ethnic, and party lines – that people work for the good of the hood," said Davis.
Davis' 7th Congressional District is almost in the shape of a number seven, with Westchester to the west, the Loop to the east, and Englewood to the south.
Davis faced two challengers who were considered to be formidable. One was activist Kina Collins, who came within six percentage points of unseating Davis in the last primary race in 2022.
Collins had hoped her appeal as a new face to voters – specifically to younger voters – would help get her over the threshold of victory.
While Davis' age of 82 has come up repeatedly, Collins previously told CBS 2 she did not believe the race is about age.
"This is about the inaction in the district," she said.
City of Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin also challenged Davis. She hoped name recognition, her history as a working mom, and her status as what she calls a "money expert" would be enough to motivate voters to come out and go for her.
Last year, the city's board of ethics voted that there is probable cause she violated ethics rules regarding her fiduciary duty and unauthorized use of city property. It stems from a $100,000 settlement the city came to with two former employees of Conyears-Ervin in the treasurer's office, claiming she made employees plan her daughter's birthday party and run errands.
"The complaints from four years ago, not only do they misrepresent the office of the city treasurer, they certainly misrepresent me," she told CBS 2 upon being questioned about the investigation.
During the campaign, Davis dismissed Collins and Conyears-Ervin as "the great pretenders" in the race.
Nikhil Bhatia, a teacher and principal, and Kouri Marshall, who worked for Gov. JB Pritzker, also ran for the seat.
Davis won 52.2 percent of the vote, while Conyears-Ervin and Collins split a share of the remaining vote with 21.1 and 19.1 percent, respectively. Bhatia captured 5 percent, Marshall 2.6 percent.
Speaking to CBS 2 Tuesday night after declaring victory, Davis paraphrased the classic James Brown song "I Got You (I Feel Good)." He also explained that when he said in victory speech that "we should not count seniors out," he did not only mean himself.
"I meant that people should not count individuals who have been fortunate enough to live long enough to reach senior status – and I really was making reference to President Biden; that I can win here, President Biden can win in the United States," Davis said. "And it's difficult for me to understand why some people will not give him credit for the tremendous leadership he has provided; for what we've been able to accomplish."
Davis outlined a list of accomplishments for which he believes President Joe Biden deserves credit.
"We look at the status of the economy in our country – we're the top economy in the world. We've made more progress than any other country after the pandemic. Unemployment is around and under 4 percent, and has been that way now for more than two years straight, and we survived the pandemic – I mean, we lost a lot of lives, but our health care institutions and our plans worked. We got some great breakthroughs coming. We're right on the verge of having a cure for sickle cell anemia," he said. "And yet, the situation is such that many people are just finding it reluctant to give the president the credit he is due for the way he has handled the country for the last three years."
Meanwhile, Collins told her supporters Tuesday night that what had tried to do in the campaign was not easy. She said her supporters could still celebrate all the wins they had made during the course of the campaign.
Collins also addressed low voter turnout – specifically talking to young voters and the importance that they go out and vote.
"We have very low voter turnout. We've got to get people to the polls, right?" said Collins. "In this district, the median age is 35. We have to make sure that we're getting people to the polls."
Collins said she is not considering whether to run again just yet. But she said she will continue organizing for the people of her district as she has all along.
Meanwhile, Conyears-Ervin released a statement saying she had called Davis to congratulate him on his victory – and she would be behind him in November.
"Voters in our communities have worked hard through a pandemic, the worst increase in the cost of living in 40 years, the biggest increase in crime in 30 years, and the first time in our history the rights of women have been taken away by the Supreme Court," Conyears-Ervin said in the statement. "They just want someone working hard alongside them and that's the message they sent tonight. Keep your eyes on us and spend every day working as hard as we do."
Davis will face Republican Chad Koppie in November. Koppie ran unopposed in the GOP primary.
Koppie, 86, is a former pilot and farmer who has run for several offices before.
Davis is a huge favorite to win the November election, so he won't need to do much more campaigning. Instead, he said he will focus on getting people to the polls to reelect President Biden.
Davis previously served two four-year terms on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and before that, 11 years in the Chicago Coty Council as 29th Ward alderman from 1979 until 1990.
Davis has also run for mayor of Chicago three times. He launched a Democratic primary campaign for mayor for the 1989 special election to finish the late Mayor Harold Washington's unexpired term – but dropped out in December 1988. Richard M. Daley went on to win the election.
Davis also lost the 1991 Democratic Chicago mayoral primary to Daley.
Davis launched a third campaign for mayor for the 2011 election after Daley retired, but dropped out in December 2010 and threw his support to former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun. Rahm Emanuel went on to win the race.