Gianno Caldwell mulls Senate bid as Chicagoans are 'begging for change' on crime woes

Republican public safety advocate Gianno Caldwell is mulling a bid for the open Illinois Senate seat in 2026 amid growing conversations about crime in America's cities.

"I've been about this fight for many years, public service. I've worked in every level of government that you can imagine, and certainly I think there's time for a law-and-order U.S. Senate candidate to come to the forefront in Illinois," said Caldwell, a Fox News contributor and founder of the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety.

"My brother's legacy has become my mission and to save lives," Caldwell said. "And if that's something that I can continue in a U.S. Senate seat, that's worth considering for the many lives that have been lost and the legacies that need to be furthered in the state of Illinois and my home city of Chicago."

"My brother's murder was something that I thought needed to have a conversation to address what has been going on in Chicago," Caldwell said. "So, this impacted me in a very deep and personal way. And when I think about what President Trump is doing by saying, 'Look, we're doing this in D.C. already. We want to take this to other places around the country. I applaud him. Why? Because people have been begging for change in the City of Chicago."

Caldwell spoke even as a backlash has grown from Democrats who have said that the heavy law enforcement presence in the nation's capital is over the top.

"The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States senator. But, in my heart, I know it's time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term," Durbin, 80, said in an April video.