A dozen potential candidates have emerged since Jesse Jackson Jr. announced his resignation from Congress last week. Debbie Halvorson announced she's running. She represented the 11th district in Washington before her defeat in 2010. This year, she ran unsuccessfully in the primary against Jackson for the state's 2nd district seat. NIU political scientist Matt Streb says Halvorson has ground to cover in order to win the special election to replace Jackson.Chicago Tribune: Deep-seated doubts about Jesse Jr.'s seat
CBS News: Jockeying under way to replace Rep. Jackson Jr.
"There's some questions. If she couldn't be more competitive against a weakened Jesse Jackson Jr., is she going to really be able to reach out and expand that margin of support in the district?" - Matt Streb
Halvorson captured just under 30-percent of the vote in the primary against Jackson. Streb says multiple candidates could impact the February primary:
"When you have that, you are going to break up the vote, and 30-percent of the vote could be enough to win." - Matt Streb
Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned last week from Congress. He has been treated for bipolar disorder.
Chicago Sun-Times: Feds believe Jesse Jackson Jr. got tip about probe into his finances
In his resignation, he acknowledged he is the subject of a federal investigation surrounding the use of campaign funds.
