Justin Ford

With veteran Democratic U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky expected to announce Monday if she’ll run for reelection in Illinois’ 9th District, another newcomer has launched a campaign for the seat.

Chicagoan Justin Ford this week announced he’ll seek the Democratic nomination for the congressional post Schakowsky, of Evanston, has held since 1999.

“I think we need not just new faces but a new type of leader,” Ford said in an email Thursday.

The 46-year-old Michigan native joins fellow Chicagoan Kat Abughazaleh on the nascent campaign trail for the Democratic nomination. Encompassing parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties, the 9th District stretches between the North Shore and the Crystal Lake area.

Kat Abughazaleh

Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old internet personality and former journalist, announced her intent to run for the seat in late March.

The Justin Ford for Congress committee filed a statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday. He’s also launched a campaign website, votejustinford.com.

A senior environmental health safety and sustainability engineer for Baxter International, Ford lived in Iowa before moving to Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. He previously had lived in Chicago.

He’s never before run for office.

A shift to a four-day work week is Ford’s top campaign priority. He’s also an advocate for affordable housing; the protection and expansion of Social Security benefits; and the fight against climate change.

“For too long, the people of this district have heard empty promises from politicians who protect the status quo while regular folks work longer hours for less,” Ford said in a news release. “It’s time for leadership that will put working families first, fight for our time, and deliver results that matter in real life — not just in Washington headlines.”

U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky

Schakowsky, who turns 81 this month, is in her 14th term in the U.S. House. She hasn’t faced a serious opponent from either major party in years.

Responding last week to a media report that claimed she intends to retire, Schakowsky said she’ll announce her decision Monday. She is scheduled to host her annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch that day at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.

Island Lake resident Rocio Cleveland is the only Republican candidate who’s filed a statement of organization with the FEC so far. She’s launched a campaign website, rocioclevelandforcongress.com, but has made no public announcement.

Chicago Democrat David Abrevaya submitted a candidate statement to the FEC that indicates he intends to run for the seat, but hasn’t launched a website or publicly announced his campaign.