Recently, the political landscape in Illinois has been shaken by the unexpected retirement announcement of Democrat Representative Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, who represents Illinois’ 4th Congressional District. This development has sparked discussions about the Democratic Party’s self-proclaimed role as the stalwart defenders of democracy.

Garcia, who has served in Congress since 2019, initially filed to run for reelection on October 27th. His district, carefully crafted through gerrymandering, is considered a Democratic stronghold, and his popularity among party members made his candidacy seem secure. Interestingly, as the deadline for filing approached on November 3rd, only one other candidate entered the race: Patty Garcia, his chief of staff, who is not related to him.

Unexpectedly, shortly after the filing deadline passed, Rep. Garcia reversed his decision to pursue another term. He cited personal reasons, specifically concerns regarding his health and family, as the driving factors behind this change. In an interview conducted the following day, Garcia revealed that he had received distressing news about his health on the very day he filed for reelection, prompting his reconsideration.