Carole Cheney, former district chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, on July 11 announced she will seek the Democratic nomination for Illinois' 6th Congressional District in the March 2018 primary election for the chance to face U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Wheaton, in the November 2018 general election.
“I’m running for office to give a voice back to the people of Illinois’ Sixth District,” Cheney said in her campaign announcement. “Peter Roskam has lost touch with his community, and has put the Trump agenda ahead of the needs of the people he is supposed to be serving. It is time for the concerns of our community to come before political careers and personal agendas."
Cheney is one of several candidates who have announced their intent to run for the Democratic nomination. College of Lake County trustee Amanda Howland, who lost to Roskam in the November 2016 general election, also has filed her intent with the Federal Election Commission to run in the Democratic primary.
Lake Zurich resident Geoffrey Petzel also plans to run in the primary, along with Austin Songer of Chicago.
Roskam was first elected to Congress in 2006. His chief of staff, David Mork, declined to comment on Cheney's announcement.
Cheney served as district chief of staff to Foster from 2013 until 2017. She has been involved in a variety of organizations, including the Chicago area advisory board for Feed My Starving Children, as well as boards of a local Boys & Girls Club and a Children’s Advocacy Center that provides services and support to abused children, according to her announcement.
“It’s time to replace Peter Roskam with someone who is focused on serving the interests of this community, not special interests," Cheney said in her announcement. "I know from the ground up how to serve, and am the only candidate who can hit the ground running. Being a representative means more than shaking hands in back rooms. It is time to bring back faith in our government. I am ready to serve.”