U.S. Senator Dick Durbin endorses Yasmeen Bankole for Congress

In the Senator’s First Federal Endorsement of the 2026 Cycle, Durbin Says Yasmeen Bankole is the Leader Illinois’ 8th District Needs

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin endorsed Yasmeen Bankole for Congress in Illinois’ 8th. Durbin’s endorsement of Yasmeen Bankole, Hanover Park Trustee and lifelong Illinois public servant, comes on the heels of Yasmeen receiving the first and only union endorsement to date from IBEW Local 701, as well as the support of 40 elected leaders across the district’s three counties. 

“Yasmeen is the next generation of leadership we need to fight for Illinois, and I am proud to endorse her campaign for Congress,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. “I’ve seen Yasmeen in action through her service in my office and through her lifelong career as an Illinois public servant. From lowering the cost of living to defending our rights and making our communities safer, Yasmeen always delivers for Illinois. She has the experience, the fight, and the heart for the job, and she’s the leader the 8th district needs in this moment.”

“Having Senator Durbin’s trust to deliver for Illinois has been an incredible honor, and having his endorsement in this race makes me more determined than ever to fight for Illinois in Congress,” said Yasmeen Bankole. “With Donald Trump attacking Illinois workers and families at every turn, we need leaders who fight hard and fight smart. Senator Durbin has shown every day what courageous leadership for Illinois looks like, and I’ll carry those lessons as I work in Congress to lower costs, defend our communities, and make life better for the people of Illinois.”

As Hanover Park Trustee, Yasmeen successfully passed programs to lower families’ water bills, install free doorbell cameras, and support good-paying union jobs, and she introduced the assault weapons sales ban to make our communities safer. She served Northeast Illinois for nearly six years in Senator Durbin’s office, helping small businesses stay in business through the pandemic, delivering on the infrastructure needs for towns and cities, and connecting Illinoisans with the services they need.