Chicago City Wire

State Senator Robert J. Peters of Chicago has announced his candidacy for the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. The current representative, Robin Kelly, is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Dick Durbin.

Peters, a Democrat and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is known for his role in authoring the Pretrial Safety Act, part of the SAFE-T Act which eliminates cash bail. This legislation has been controversial and is unpopular in some areas within Illinois' 2nd Congressional District.

Peters has faced criticism for past social media posts, some of which he deleted from X (formerly Twitter). One post from 2023 regarding youth riots in Chicago described their actions as "a mass protest against poverty and segregation."

He recently received endorsements from Bernie Sanders and David Hogg. Peters defended the SAFE-T Act on a podcast, urging opponents not to criticize it: “And don't talk about the SAFE-T Act ever again.”

In addition to domestic issues, Peters offered comments on international conflicts, suggesting violence interrupters could be used in Gaza: “If we can do that on the West Side of Chicago — why the f*ck can't we do it in the Middle East.”

Peters also expressed views on abortion opponents during a podcast appearance last year, calling them “far-right weirdos.” He hinted at support for no-cash bail nationally while discussing criminal justice reform on another podcast.