Two special elections will feature prominent women candidates this winter. 

ILLINOIS
Democratic former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson is running in the special election to replace Jesse Jackson, Jr. of Chicago, primary scheduled for February 26^th with the general election in April.  Just eight months after matching up against Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in the 2012 Democratic primary, former Rep. Debbie Halvorson will make another try at returning to Congress.

The former congresswoman’s campaign said in a Sunday statement that Halvorson, who unsuccessfully challenged Jackson in the March primary election, is “the only candidate who could avoid freshman orientation and hit the ground running,” the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Halvorson, who lives in south suburban Crete, formerly represented the state’s pre-redistricting 11th district in Congress, but was defeated by Republican Adam Kinzinger in 2010.

For more information, visit http://debbiehalvorson.net.

TEXAS
The death of a Texas senator just before the November election has prompted a special election to be called for February.  Former Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia plans to run for the state senate seat once held by the late Mario Gallegos.

In addition to being a county commissioner, Garcia has also served as a social worker, attorney and Houston city controller.

Harris County AFL-CIO COPE Members met with Senate District 6 candidates and voted to endorse Sylvia Garcia in the Austin seat.

For more information, visit http://www.sylviaforsenate.com.