Robin Kelly

The daughter of a grocer, Robin Lynne Kelly was born in Harlem on April 30, 1956. Hoping to become a child psychologist, she attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where she joined Sigma Gamma Rho sorority. At Bradley, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in psychology (1977/1978) and her Master of Arts in counseling (1982). While in Peoria, she directed a "crisis nursery" and worked in a hospital.

Kelly earned her Doctor of Philosophy in political science from Northern Illinois University in 2004.

From 1992 through 2006, Kelly served as a director of community affairs in Matteson.

Illinois House of Representatives (2003-2007)

Elections

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

In 2004, she won reelection to a second term, defeating Republican Jack McInerney, 86%-14%. In 2006, she won reelection to a third term unopposed.

Committee assignments

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

State and county government

In January 2007, Kelly resigned her House seat to become chief of staff to Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. She was the first African-American woman to serve as chief of staff to an elected constitutional statewide officeholder. Kelly was appointed Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle's chief administrative officer in 2011.

2010 Illinois treasurer election

In 2010, Kelly ran for Illinois treasurer. In the Democratic primary, she defeated founding member and senior executive of the Transportation Security Administration Justin Oberman, 58%-42%. She won most of the counties in the state, including Cook County with 59% of the vote.

In the November general election, Republican State Senator Dan Rutherford defeated her 50%-45%. She won just six of the state's 102 counties: Cook (62%), Alexander (52%), Gallatin (51%), St. Clair (50%), Calhoun (49%), and Rock Island (48%).

2013 congressional election

Kelly entered the field for Illinois's 2nd congressional district after Democrat Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned three weeks after being elected to a tenth term. On February 11, 2013, two Chicago-based Democratic congressmen, Bobby Rush and Danny Davis, endorsed her.

On February 13, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky endorsed Kelly. A few days later, New York City Mayor Michael 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 the Chicago Tribune. On February 17, State Senator Toi 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. 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.

Tenure

Kelly took office on April 9, 2013, and was sworn in on April 11.

Committee assignments

For the 119th Congress:

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

Caucus memberships

• Congressional Black Caucus
• Congressional Equality Caucus
• Medicare for All Caucus

On May 6, 2025, Kelly announced she would be retiring to run for the United States Senate in 2026, being vacated by the retiring incumbent Dick Durbin. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and his allies allegedly discouraged Kelly to run, though he denied the claims. It was noted that Kelly was one of several Black women running for US Senate in 2026: including Juliana Stratton of Illinois, Pamela Stevenson of Kentucky and Catherine Fleming Bruce of South Carolina.

Kelly ended up placing third in the Democratic primary to Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and her colleague United States Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, garnering only 18.3% of the vote.

Kelly voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis.

Syria

In 2023, Kelly was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.

Kelly lived in the Chicago suburb of Matteson, in a home she shared with her husband, Nathaniel Horn, until his death in August 2023. She currently resides in Lynwood. Kelly is a nondenominational Protestant.