Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs, arrives at a World War II Memorial ceremony in March. (Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON (CBS) — U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) is set to throw his support behind Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth in her race for Congress.
Durbin plans to issue his endorsement later Monday, the Hill blog reported.
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Duckworth served in the Iraq War and lost both legs when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the Black Hawk helicopter she was flying.
She ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2006, losing to Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) in the west suburban 6th District after the retirement of the late Henry Hyde.
Duckworth later became an assistant secretary of Veterans Affairs in the Obama administration.
She is now running for the open Congressional seat in the newly-redrawn 8th District.
Duckworth will face off against businessman Raja Krishnamoorthi in the Democratic primary next year.
