Debbie Halvorson

Halvorson lost to Republican nominee Adam Kinzinger 58%–42%. Despite her landslide victory two years earlier, this was the fifth-largest margin of defeat for a Democratic house incumbent in 2010.

On November 21, 2012 Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned from office. Halvorson announced her candidacy on November 26 but lost the primary election on February 26, 2013.

In September 2011, Halvorson filed a candidacy with the FEC to run in the newly redistricted Illinois's 2nd congressional district, against incumbent Democrat Jesse Jackson, Jr.. “He (Jackson) lives in D.C. He doesn’t come home on weekends. His kids go to school in D.C." She also said that “They should be fearing me becoming a congresswoman. I represent the people who live in the (current) 11th district. He’s just nervous that I’m going to become a congresswoman because then his control is over.” The newly drawn district is just 54% African American. Jackson defeated her 71%–29%.

Halvorson was appointed to the powerful Steering and Policy Committee as well as a member of Veterans, Small Business and Agriculture. One of her true loves is Economic Development and Transportation. During her time in office she said that one of her main focuses were constituent services. She has agreed with the 2009 Economic Stimulus Act, Cap and Trade of Emissions, and the Federal Health Care Bill.

In September 2007, incumbent Republican U.S. Congressman Jerry Weller announced that he would not seek another term, citing the need to spend more time with his family. Halvorson won the open seat against Republican Marty Ozinga with 58% of the vote, while Ozinga only got 34%.

On October 2, 2007, Halvorson announced her decision to run for Illinois's 11th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, after current incumbent Jerry Weller announced in September that he would not be running for re-election. EMILY's List endorsed Halvorson in November. In February 2008, Republican nominee, New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann, withdrew from the race, citing other obligations. He was replaced by Marty Ozinga, whom Halvorson easily defeated in the general election.

In 2005, Halvorson became the first female Majority Leader of the Illinois State Senate.

Halvorson first ran for the Illinois State Senate in November 1996, defeating incumbent Republican State Senator Aldo DeAngelis 56%–44% in Illinois' 40th Senate District. In 1998, she won re-election to a second term defeating State Representative Flora Ciarlo 66%–34%. In 2002, she won re-election to a third term unopposed. In 2006, she won re-election to a fourth term with 70% of the vote.

Deborah L. Halvorson (born March 1, 1958) served as the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 11th congressional district , serving from 2009 until 2011. Previously, she served in the Illinois Senate from 1997 through 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, she filed to run in the newly redistricted 2nd congressional district but was defeated in the Democratic primary by the incumbent, Jesse Jackson, Jr.