Rep. Ro Khanna Endorses Robert Peters in 2nd District Congressional Race (Chicago, IL) – State Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) picked up another high-profile endorsement Thursday as U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California, a leading progressive voice in Congress, announced his support for Peters’ campaign in Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District.
Khanna praised Peters’ record in Springfield, highlighting his efforts to reform the state’s criminal justice system and challenge corporate interests.
“From taking on the healthcare industry’s predatory practices, to ending the inequitable cash bail system in Illinois, Robert Peters is the kind of progressive organizer we need more of in Congress,” Khanna said in a statement. “I’m excited to fight alongside him.”
Peters, who represents Chicago’s South Side in the Illinois Senate, said he admired Khanna’s “clear-eyed, truth-telling progressive leadership” and hopes to carry that same spirit to Washington.
“From holding big polluters accountable on climate change, to fighting for progressive economic policies, Rep. Khanna and I share a common mission for our communities that takes on the Trump agenda head on and lifts up working class communities,” Peters said.
Khanna, who co-chaired Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign — a campaign Peters supported as an Illinois delegate — joins a growing list of national and local progressive leaders backing Peters.
Peters has already secured endorsements from Sanders, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Leaders We Deserve PAC, and several labor unions, including the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union and the Iron Workers District Council of Chicago and Vicinity. He is also supported by College Democrats of America, The People’s Lobby, members of the Chicago City Council Black Caucus, and multiple members of the Illinois General Assembly’s Black Caucus.
The 2nd Congressional District, which stretches from Chicago’s South Side through parts of the Southland, will be a key race in 2026 as progressives look to expand their ranks in Washington.
Rep. Ro Khanna Endorses Robert Peters in 2nd District Congressional Race
