Sen. Majority Whip Dick Durbin will endorse Paul Vallas in the Chicago mayoral election, the campaign announced Sunday.
Durbin, who also serves as the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has served in the Senate since Jan. 2007, and appears to be the first sitting member of Congress to publicly-back Vallas’ mayoral bid.
The announcement will be made official at a press conference prior to Sunday’s Greek Independence Day Parade, Vallas’ campaign said in a statement.
Former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White will also be on hand.
Durbin did not endorse a candidate for mayor in the first round of this year’s election, and in fact did not offer his endorsement to a candidate in the open 2019 race that was ultimately won by current Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
While he is the first sitting member of Congress to publicly back Vallas, former Rep. Bobby Rush has thrown his support behind the candidate, as has former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
Illinois’ other senator, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, has not made an endorsement in the runoff round of the election, having supported Lightfoot in the first round.
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Brandon Johnson has secured a number of endorsements from members of Congress, including Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Illinois Reps. Jonathan Jackson, Delia Ramirez, Danny Davis and Jan Schakowsky have all backed Johnson, as has former mayoral rival Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García.
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The mayoral runoff will take place on April 4, with both candidates running neck-and-neck in recent polling.
You can find a full endorsement guide on NBC Chicago’s website.
