Shocker! Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger May Lose House Seat

I must say that a headline I read at Politico.com yesterday was an attention getter. How could you not be intrigued when a popular political website asks the question "How Screwed Is Adam Kinzinger?"

The answer to that question would be best left to the Democrats here in Illinois who are currently in the midst of drawing out new congressional maps (or, redistricting). We've lost population here in Illinois, and that means that we're losing a congressional seat. Word has it that Illinois Dems are close to rolling out a new map that would basically take a scalpel to Illinois' 16th Congressional District and with it, Adam Kinzinger's seat.

Is This A Done Deal?

As of this writing, the elimination of Kinzinger's 16th District seat hasn't happened, but most likely will, according to the Politico story:

But in interviews, few party operatives in D.C. or Illinois could envision a final plan that leaves much of Kinzinger's seat intact. The Democrats’ ideal map would shift the delegation from its current roster of 13 Democrats and five Republicans to a 14-3 split.

“Given the configuration and where the population trended, and the way it's trending, if I had to take a bet, I bet that we lose a Republican district," said Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), who represents the Loop in Chicago.

 

What Will Kinzinger Do If His Congressional Seat Is Eliminated?

Congressman Kinzinger will have no shortage of options if Illinois Dems take an axe to the 16th District. Kinzinger has said in the past that if he should lose his seat, he may very well consider running for the Senate, or even go for the Illinois Governor's mansion. He could even run in another Illinois district.

Or, as TheWeek.com points out, there might be an even bigger option:

Some think Kinzinger could mount a successful 2024 presidential run. Others think he could shore up the vote from suburban moderates and democrat-skeptical independents. For his part, Kinzinger, who told Politico he isn't "losing sleep" over the possibility of losing his seat, hasn't counted himself out of the political conversation moving forward.

Congressman Adam Kinzinger will join the WROK Morning Show for his next monthly visit in September to discuss this topic and others.