A new congressional map in Illinois could spell trouble for the House tenure of "one of the GOP's most prominent" critics of former President Donald Trump, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Politico reports.
Democrats, having "total control" over redistricting in Illinois, will almost definitely "attempt to maximize party gains" with the updated map, especially as sure-to-be contentious midterms threaten the party's razor-thin majority. That said, "thanks to declining population," Kinzinger's seat will very likely be cut, writes Politico.
Although no official proposed map has yet emerged, "few party operatives in D.C. or Illinois could envision a final plan that leaves much of Kinzinger's seat intact," Politico writes. "If I had to take a bet, I bet that we lose a Republican district," said Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.).
Should Kinzinger lose his seat, he'd be forced to choose between running somewhere new, perhaps against another incumbent, or making a long shot bid for governor or Senate, assuming he could perform in a GOP primary after having repeatedly criticized Trump. Said Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.), when asked if Kinzinger could win in a different seat: "It'd be hard."
But maybe that's counting him out too early. 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.
"I certainly wouldn't rule out Senate or governor and anything else," he said. "Maybe, who knows?" Read more at Politico.