U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s decision not to seek another term led to a cascade of candidates running for not just his seat, but several congressional districts.

Three congressional candidates vying to serve different parts of the Northwest or West suburbs will find out early next month if they’ll appear on March 2026 primary ballots or be booted.

Reflecting what some experts see as a national trend, four of the six congressional representatives running for reelection in the North, West or Northwest suburbs next year are facing primary challenges.

Already crowded races for a pair of largely suburban Congressional seats got even more packed, and four representatives find themselves facing challenges within their own party, as candidate filing for the 2026 primary election wrapped up Monday.