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CHICAGO - MARCH 01: Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL) addresses the media in support of U.S. Senator Roland Burris (D-IL), prior to a prayer and support service at the New Covenant Baptist Church March 1, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. Many Illinois lawmakers are calling for Burris, who was appointed to the U.S. Senate by impeached former Governor Rod Blagojevich, to resign following allegations he was not completely honest during his testimony at the Illinois House impeachment hearings.
Longtime Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush, who won against Barack Obama in the 2000 Congressional race, just announced his decision to not run in what would've been his 16th term in office.
According to reports, there were already whispers about Rush making an announcement regarding his campaign plans. But no one expected that the Illinois representative would say that he intended to do something else.
Bobby Rush releases statement
In his statement, Rush said that he wouldn't be resigning from the public eye completely. Instead, he will become more active in his church. He also vowed to work hand-in-hand with whoever will be elected as his successor.
"I have been reassigned. Actually, I'm not retiring, I'm returning home. I'm returning to my church. I'm returning to my family. I have grandchildren. I'm returning to my passion. I will be in public life. I will be working hand in hand with someone who will replace me," he said via Market Watch.
Rush also said that leaving Congress would pave the way for him to share his wisdom with more people.
Bobby Rush denies claims that he'll be retiring
Following his announcement, multiple sources are insisting that Rush will be retiring. So, the congressman was forced to debunk the claims by saying that retiring was not part of his plans.
According to Politico, Rush said that he's not ready to go off to some spot in the sun, sit on the beach, and drink tequila. Instead, his goal is to maintain sway over voters that elected him for a seat in Congress throughout the past three decades.
Rush also said that the prospect of Democrats losing the House did not influence his decision. After all, he's confident that Democrats will retake the House and even increase their numbers in the Senate.
Last year, there were predictions that Rush could win in the upcoming elections. But when asked if he would run for reelection, he said he would make an announcement in January.
Who is Bobby Rush?
Throughout the years, Rush has made headlines for all sorts of reasons. He was one of the few people that beat Obama during a Congressional race in 2020. He was also arrested in 2004 for blocking the driveway of Sudan's embassy while demanding an end to genocide.
In 2012, he was reprimanded by the House after he wore a hooded sweatshirt following the death of Trayvon Martin.
Other than these, Rush has also struggled with his health. He was previously diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery in 2008. He also battled COVID-19 recently but stressed that he didn't experience any symptoms.
According to WGNTV, there are five other declared candidates in the Democratic party in Illinois, namely Jahmal Cole, Michael Thompson, Chris Butler, Kirby Birgans, and Dee Nix.
Rush is also known for advocating against gun violence, which started following the police killings of Black Panthers Fred Hampton and Mark Clark.
Years later, Rush's son, Huey Rich, was also killed during an armed robbery in Illinois' South Side. To this date, Rush is still advocating against gun violence and other important issues.
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