CHICAGO, Ill. — A former Illinois congressman is running for the district he used to represent.

Jesse Jackson Jr. will run for the 2nd Congressional District of Illinois in 2026, he announced on Facebook and YouTube on Wednesday. The 2nd District covers parts of Chicago's South Side and southern suburbs and large parts of eastern downstate Illinois.

Jackson Jr. served as the representative for the 2nd District from 1995 until his resignation in 2012.

"I have spent my entire life fighting for working people, and I will continue to fight to reform the system to create greater fairness, equity, and opportunity for all communities," said Jackson Jr. in his campaign video. "I will fight for democracy, freedom, and equality of income."

In 2013, Jackson Jr. was found guilty of spending

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