Why It Matters

Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) won reelection to Illinois' 3rd Congressional District on Nov. 3, defeating Republican Angel Oakley. The Associated Press called the race for Ramirez on election night, keeping the seat in Democratic hands. ​

Ramirez's victory comes as Democrats regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives, giving her party control of the chamber's legislative agenda, committee leadership and oversight proceedings when the new Congress convenes in January. The shift could give Ramirez greater influence over immigration and homeland security policy, particularly as she pushes legislation to restructure federal immigration enforcement.

The Result

Ramirez received 133,437 votes, or 75.5%, compared with Oakley's 43,314 votes, or 24.5%, according to an unofficial election-night reporting snapshot updated Nov. 4. Ramirez led Oakley by 90,123 votes, approximately 51 percentage points. The figures remained unofficial and subject to certification.

The Primary

Ramirez and Oakley both advanced from uncontested primaries on March 17. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Ramirez received 72,443 votes in the Democratic primary, while Oakley received 13,991 votes in the Republican primary. Both candidates received 100% of the votes cast in their respective contests.

The Incumbent's Record

Ramirez has represented Illinois' 3rd Congressional District since January 2023. The district includes portions of Chicago's West Side and northwest and western suburbs, including communities in Cook and DuPage counties, according to Ballotpedia. Ramirez serves on the House Homeland Security Committee and is the ranking Democrat on its Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations and Accountability.

On Oct. 13, Ramirez introduced the Reimagining Safety Act, legislation that would dismantle the Department of Homeland Security, abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, and establish a new Department of Community Safety, according to Rep. Ramirez's office.

The proposal would preserve the functions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Transportation Security Administration, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and certain customs operations while redirecting federal resources toward community safety programs. Ramirez has argued that the legislation is necessary to address alleged abuses by federal immigration authorities and expand community-based approaches to public safety.

Pre-Election Indicators

The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rated Illinois' 3rd Congressional District Solid Democratic heading into Election Day, while Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the seat Safe Democratic.

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