When the 34th state representative seat was vacated a few years ago Jahmal Cole was one of many who stepped up to represent this part of the state (of course that distinction went to current state rep Nick Smith). Now he's throwing his hat in the ring to unseat longtime Congressman Bobby Rush.
Longtime activist Jahmal Cole is looking to replace Rep. Bobby Rush in the district he’s represented in Congress for nearly three decades.
Cole, the founder of My Block, My Hood, My City, filed for candidacy with the Federal Election Commission last week, seeking the House seat representing Illinois’ 1st District. He called it a special moment and “one of the most American things I’ve done.”
The 1st District includes several South Side neighborhoods and southwest suburbs.
Rush has filed in the race, according to records, but he did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The election is in November 2022. Joliet pastor and entrepreneur Glenda Wright-McCullum also had filed but told Block Club she’s now running for Joliet’s at-large council seat instead.
Cole, a 37-year-old South Side organizer and author, has been an outspoken advocate for social justice. His nonprofit helps teens from low-income neighborhoods explore other parts of the city and has helped neighbors and small businesses stay afloat during the pandemic.
Last week, My Block, My Hood, My City helped seniors clear snow with volunteer support. The group has organized snow-shoveling drives for years, but as Chicago experienced its snowiest stretch in more than 40 years, more than 100 volunteers came together to help shovel more than 200 homes across the city.
To file now is smart, if he's serious he should start running now. Of course he's been running for many years and is known quantity seen on our TV screens especially during the difficult year 2020 during a pandemic and after unrest.
I'm steering clear of making an endorsement here, but I wonder how many people grumble that it's time for a change in the 1st Congressional District? Do you think Jahmal Cole would make a great federal representatives?
I sincerely hope Cole if he is ever elected to Congress doesn't get lost in the ways of Washington, D.C. It will be said that he's done such great work for many of us on the south side!
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