- Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is a two-term Illinois senator first elected in 2016, re-elected in 2022 by 14 points, and the first senator to give birth while in office (2018).
- Illinois is D+8 — consistently Democratic at the statewide level, driven by Chicago's large Democratic margins that overcome the Republican-leaning downstate.
- She is a Purple Heart recipient and combat veteran who lost both legs in Iraq when her helicopter was shot down — her military service shapes her hawkish foreign policy and strong veteran's advocacy.
- Duckworth serves on the Senate Armed Services and Commerce Committees and is a leading voice on veterans' healthcare, disability rights, and military readiness in the Senate Democratic caucus.
Biography
Ladda Tammy Duckworth was born on March 12, 1968, in Bangkok, Thailand, to an American father of English and Irish descent and a Thai-Chinese mother. She grew up across Southeast Asia, living in Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and Hawaii, before settling in the United States for university. She attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa, earning a degree in political science, and later completed a master's degree at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs while also enrolled in Army ROTC. She became one of the first women to fly combat missions in Iraq as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard.
On November 12, 2004, Duckworth's UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade near Taji, Iraq. She lost both legs and the partial use of her right arm. She received the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. Her nearly two-year recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center became the foundation for her subsequent career in veterans' advocacy and public service. She served as Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, then as Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs under President Obama, before running for Congress.
Duckworth was elected to the US House in 2012, representing Illinois's 8th district as the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress. She was re-elected in 2014. In 2016 she defeated Republican incumbent Senator Mark Kirk by 14 points, with Kirk's campaign generating controversy over a remark about her Thai ancestry. In 2018, she became the first senator to give birth while serving in office, and successfully pushed through a Senate rules change allowing senators to bring infants under one year old to the floor — the first senator to vote while holding her infant daughter. She was re-elected in 2022 defeating Republican Kathy Salvi 53.9-46.1%.
Key Policy Positions
Electoral History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tammy Duckworth known for?
Duckworth is known for being an Army combat veteran who lost both legs in Iraq in 2004, for becoming the first senator to give birth while in office in 2018, and for her advocacy on veterans affairs, disability rights, and military policy. She is a Purple Heart recipient and one of the first women to fly combat missions in Iraq.
What are Duckworth's key policy positions?
Duckworth’s priorities include expanding VA healthcare polling, defending disability rights and the ADA, opposing Trump-era military DEI cuts, paid family leave, and gun polling legislation. She serves on the Armed Services and Commerce committees and supports ACA expansion.
When is Tammy Duckworth's next election?
Duckworth holds a Class 3 Senate majority and is not up for re-election until 2028. She was re-elected in 2022 defeating Republican Kathy Salvi 53.9-46.1%. Illinois is a D+15 state at the presidential level, making her one of the safest Democratic holds in the Senate.
