Robin Kelly
Official portrait, 2021
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois's2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office April 11, 2013
Preceded by	Jesse Jackson Jr.
Chair of theIllinois Democratic Party
In office March 3, 2021 – July 30, 2022
Preceded by	Karen Yarbrough (acting)
Succeeded by	Elizabeth Hernandez
Member of theIllinois House of Representatives from the 38th district
In office January 8, 2003 – January 12, 2007
Preceded by	Harold Murphy
Succeeded by	Al Riley
Personal details
Born	Robin Lynne Kelly (1956-04-30)April 30, 1956 (age 69) New York City,New York, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Nathaniel Horn ​ ​ (m. 2003; died 2023)​
Children	2
Education	Bradley University (BA,MA) Northern Illinois University (PhD)
Signature
Website	House website Campaign website

Robin Lynne Kelly (born April 30, 1956) is an American politician fromIllinois who has served as theU.S. representative fromIllinois's 2nd congressional district since 2013. ADemocrat, Kelly served in theIllinois House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007. She then served as chief of staff forIllinois State TreasurerAlexi Giannoulias until 2010. She was the2010 Democratic nominee for state treasurer, but lost the general election. Before running for Congress, Kelly served as theCook County chief administrative officer. After winning the Democratic primary,^[1] she won the2013 special election to succeedJesse Jackson Jr. in the U.S. House of Representatives.^[2]

On May 6, 2025, Kelly announced she would be retiring to run for theUnited States Senate in2026, being vacated by the retiring incumbentDick Durbin.^[3]

The daughter of a grocer, Robin Lynne Kelly was born inHarlem^[4] on April 30, 1956.^[5] Hoping to become a childpsychologist, she attendedBradley University inPeoria, Illinois,^[4] where she was a member ofSigma Gamma Rho sorority. At Bradley, she obtained herBachelor of Arts inpsychology (1977/1978) and herMaster of Arts incounseling (1982).^[5] While in Peoria, she directed a "crisis nursery" and worked in a hospital.^[4]

Kelly earned herDoctor of Philosophy inpolitical science fromNorthern Illinois University in 2004.^[5]

From 1992 through 2006, Kelly served as a director of community affairs inMatteson.^[5]

In 2002, Kelly defeated a ten-year incumbent Illinois state representative in the Democratic primary. In November, she defeated Republican Kitty Watson, 81%–19%.^[6]

In 2004, she won reelection to a second term, defeating Republican Jack McInerney, 86%–14%.^[7] In 2006, she won reelection to a third term unopposed.^[8]

• Appropriations-Human Services
• Housing & Urban Development
• International Trade & Commerce
• Local Government
• Mass Transit (Vice Chair)
• Para-transit
• Whole^[9]

In January 2007, Kelly resigned her House seat to become chief of staff toIllinois TreasurerAlexi Giannoulias. She was the first African-American woman to serve as chief of staff to an elected constitutional statewide officeholder.^[10] Kelly was appointed Cook County PresidentToni Preckwinkle's chief administrative officer in 2011.

In 2010, Kelly ran forIllinois treasurer. In the Democratic primary, she defeated founding member and senior executive of theTransportation Security Administration Justin Oberman, 58%–42%. She won most of the counties in the state, includingCook County with 59% of the vote.^[11][12]

In the November general election, Republican State SenatorDan Rutherford defeated her 50%–45%. She won just six of thestate's 102 counties: Cook (62%),Alexander (52%),Gallatin (51%),St. Clair (50%),Calhoun (49%), andRock Island (48%).^[13]

Kelly entered the field forIllinois's 2nd congressional district after DemocratJesse Jackson Jr. resigned three weeks after being elected to a tenth term. On February 11, 2013, two Chicago-based Democratic congressmen,Bobby Rush andDanny Davis, endorsed her.^[14]

On February 13, U.S. RepresentativeJan Schakowsky endorsed Kelly.^[15] A few days later,New York City MayorMichael Bloomberg endorsed her and committed $2 million in TV ads supporting her by highlighting Kelly's position on gun control. She was also endorsed by theChicago Tribune.^[16] On February 17, State SenatorToi Hutchinson decided to drop out to endorse Kelly.

On February 26, Kelly won the Democratic primary in the heavily Democratic, Black-majority district with 52% of the vote.^[17][18] In the April 9 general election, she defeated Republican community activist Paul McKinley and a variety of independent candidates with around 71% of the vote.^[2]

Kelly took office on April 9, 2013,^[5] and was sworn in on April 11.^[19]

Further information:2026 United States Senate election in Illinois

On May 6, 2025, Kelly announced she would be retiring to run for theUnited States Senate in2026, being vacated by the retiring incumbentDick Durbin.^[3]

Kelly is noted in national press as one of several Black women running for US Senate in 2026: includingJuliana Stratton of Illinois,Jasmine Crockett of Texas,Pamela Stevenson of Kentucky andCatherine Fleming Bruce of South Carolina.^[20][21]

For the119th Congress:^[22]

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade
  • Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Health

• Congressional Black Caucus^[23]
• Congressional Equality Caucus^[24]
• Medicare for All Caucus^[25]

Kelly voted with PresidentJoe Biden's stated position 100% of the time in the117th Congress, according to aFiveThirtyEight analysis.^[26]

In 2023, Kelly was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed PresidentJoe Biden to remove U.S. troops fromSyria within 180 days.^[27][28]

Kelly lived in the Chicago suburb ofMatteson, in a home she shared with her husband, Nathaniel Horn, until his death in August 2023. She currently resides inLynwood.^[4] Kelly is a nondenominational Protestant.^[29]

• List of African-American United States representatives
• Women in the United States House of Representatives
• Black women in American politics

Wikimedia Commons has media related toRobin Kelly.

• Congresswoman Robin Kelly official U.S. House website
• Robin Kelly for US Senate

• Biography at theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at theFederal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at theLibrary of Congress
• Profile atVote Smart
• Appearances onC-SPAN

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• 20th-century African-American politicians
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• 21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly
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• Women state legislators in Illinois

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