Jackson retains Illinois 1st District seat in projected win
The incumbent defeated Republican Christian Maxwell in a race focused on Medicaid funding and post-direcho disaster aid.
By Rafael Collins ·
Rep. Jonathan Jackson holds the congressional seat for Illinois’ 1st District, NBC News projects. The result secures a third term for the Democrat, who first took office in 2022. He defeats Republican challenger Christian Maxwell in the latest polling.
The district spans a wide geographic area, stretching from Chicago’s South Side through southern suburbs and into rural Kankakee County. Jackson campaigned on representing this diverse mix of urban and rural residents. His primary message centered on fiscal accountability and healthcare access.
Jackson spent the cycle criticizing the Trump administration’s handling of emergency aid. The White House denied requests for disaster relief following a severe derecho that struck the region in early 2026. The storm caused substantial damage across the district. Jackson stated his opposition stems from a need for administrative accountability.
Despite the partisan divide, Jackson said he maintains daily contact with officials in the current administration. “We try to work with him every day,” he noted. He also pledged to fight for funds that he said are being removed from the Medicaid system. One quarter of the district’s residents rely on Medicaid for healthcare assistance.
“This will have a devastating impact, to remove $100 billion out of the healthcare system when costs are increasing,” Jackson said. His reelection supports the Democratic Party’s goal of securing a House majority. The party aims to use that majority to check the executive branch.
The House currently operates without a unified party control in both chambers. Democrats are seeking to regain the Senate as well. Jackson’s win adds to the Democratic tally in the chamber as the final vote counts are tallied.
