July 11, 2026 — The League of Women Voters has canceled a planned 5th Congressional District candidate forum after incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley did not respond to repeated invitations. Carol Pedot, co-chair of candidate forums for the local League chapters, said the nonpartisan organization requires both candidates to participate before proceeding.
“As a volunteer organization, the League cannot commit its time and resources to planning an event without confirmation from all invited candidates,” Pedot wrote in an email confirming the decision. She added that the League “cannot have a forum without both candidates attending.”
The cancellation leaves Republican challenger Tommy Hanson without a prominent public forum as he tries to challenge Quigley over the ethics of running simultaneous campaigns for Congress and Chicago mayor. Hanson, a River North resident, condominium owner, and commercial real estate broker, won the March 2026 Republican nomination after defeating two primary opponents.
It is Hanson’s fifth consecutive bid to unseat Quigley in the historically Democratic 5th District. Since his first run, Hanson’s vote share has steadily risen from 23.3% in 2018 to 31.0%, or 112,931 votes, in 2024.
Hanson first sought the seat in 2008 against Rahm Emanuel, whose later resignation to become White House chief of staff triggered the special election that first sent Quigley to Washington.
Hanson had sought a series of debates before the November 3 election, with the first proposed for July at the Center on Halsted’s Hoover-Leppen Theatre.
Cancellation underscores federal-law constraints
IRS rules for 501(c)(3) nonprofits and Federal Election Commission guidelines require the League of Women Voters to remain strictly nonpartisan. A forum with only one candidate could be viewed as an impermissible “in-kind contribution” or partisan promotion. Because the League follows a strict “No Empty Chair” policy, an incumbent can effectively stop a debate by staying silent.
For Quigley, who won his March primary with nearly 65% of the vote, a debate offers little political benefit. By not responding, he set the forum’s cancellation in motion, avoiding public questioning while limiting his challenger’s media exposure.
The strategy also keeps voters from pressing Quigley on an unusual legal and logistical timeline. Chicago’s municipal code bars people from holding two elected offices at once, but it does not prevent a candidate from seeking both. If Quigley wins the congressional race in November and the mayoral race in February 2027, he could keep his federal seat until he is sworn in as mayor.
“The voters have questions,” Hanson wrote in an email to Quigley. “For starters, how do you convince the Illinois 5th District to vote for you while running for U.S. Congress and Chicago mayor at the same time?”
The 2027 municipal cycle creates a tighter timetable than past overlapping campaigns. When U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García ran for mayor in 2023, the petition deadline came after the November midterms. For 2027, however, mayoral nominating petitions must be filed between October 19 and 26, 2026, requiring Quigley to file mayoral paperwork one week before the congressional election ends.
If managing both races becomes untenable, Quigley has only a narrow window to exit the congressional contest. Under Illinois law, he must withdraw from the congressional ballot by August 21, 2026, so local party committeepersons can choose a replacement through a weighted vote. After that deadline, his name remains on both ballots through November.
“I hope Congressman Quigley wins for Chicago mayor. We need a good one,” Hanson told Loop North News. “Also, I need to win his congressional seat. I think he’s tired of being a congressman, and I think he’d probably be a good [mayor].”
Quigley’s campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the canceled forum or Hanson’s pending debate invitations.
Key Facts:
- $300K war chest: According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Quigley’s municipal campaign committee, “Friends of Mike Quigley,” was created on August 7, 2025, and reported $302,637.17 on hand in its April 2026 quarterly filing.
- Geographic shift: The 5th Congressional District once centered largely on Chicago’s North Side, extending south to East Grand Avenue and including parts of River North, Streeterville, and the Gold Coast. It now reaches farther northwest into suburbs such as Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, and Palatine.
- Crowded 2027 field: Quigley is entering a competitive mayoral race that includes declared or expected contenders such as State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, and Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas.
