Hutchinson exits race for Jackson’s U.S. House seat

CHICAGO – A well-known Illinois state senator dropped her bid Sunday for the U.S. House seat vacated by Jesse Jackson Jr., narrowing the field and consolidating key support behind another Democrat in a race where gun control has emerged as a central issue.

State Sen. Toi Hutchinson, targeted by critical anti-gun campaign ads funded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s political action committee, said she was leaving the race and swinging her support to former state Rep. Robin Kelly.