UPDATE: Duckworth Announces Candidacy in Video to Supporters
Rep. Tammy Duckworth will reportedly announce a 2016 Senate bid next week.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports the Illinois Democrat will announce on Monday that she plans to run against Republican Sen. Mark Kirk.
The announcement will reportedly be followed by a fundraiser at the Hancock Center in Chicago.
The congresswoman said last month that she was considering running for the seat.
“If we can avoid a primary that would be great," Duckworth said in an exclusive interview with NBC Chicago.
Duckworth, an Iraqi war vet who lost her legs in a helicopter crash, recently had her first baby at the age of 46.
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“I don't think I would be the first working mom bringing my baby with me everywhere,” she said.
Kirk, who suffered a stroke in 2012, plans to run for re-election.
"Senator Mark Kirk is an independent voice for Illinois and is proud of his bipartisan record of achievement in the United States Senate," Kirk spokeswoman Alissa McCurley said in a statement. "While he looks forward to a vigorous campaign, the Senator believes there will be plenty of time for politics, and he is focused on fighting for veterans who have not received the treatment and respect they have earned from our government, as well as advocating for policies that encourage economic growth and job creation.”
