The Candidate: Tammy Duckworth
The Race: Chance to take on incumbent Joe Walsh of the 8th District. It’s one of the four districts Democrats hope to regain thanks to a new congressional map.
The Competition: Joe Walsh
The Buzz: Duckworth is a former Blackhawk pilot who served during the war in Iraq until she was wounded in a RPG attack in 2004. Though she lost both legs and some use in one of her arms, she participated in her third Chicago marathon in 2011.
She ran for Congress in 2006 but lost to Peter Roskam. She went on to serve as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, then as Assistant Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs in Washington, D.C. until stepping down to run in this election.
