Rep. Tammy Duckworth Set To Announce 2016 Senate Bid, According To Report

Report: Duckworth To Run For GOP-Held Senate Seat
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U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., acknowledges applause from the crowd of supporters at the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen's Associations annual state fair Governor's Day brunch on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) will announce a 2016 Senate bid come Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday afternoon.

Duckworth's campaign did not immediately respond to The Huffington Post's request for comment.

Just a day earlier the paper obtained a fundraising letter from Duckworth, asking supporters for $1,000 donations so she could mount a bid against Republican Sen. Mark Kirk.

My gut tells me I can beat these guys,” Duckworth wrote, according to the Sun-Times.

A former helicopter pilot, Duckworth became the first female Iraq combat veteran in Congress when she joined the House in 2013.

Kirk's seat is considered among the GOP's most vulnerable heading into the 2016 races. In January he responded to the news that Duckworth was mulling a Senate run, telling Politico he did not consider the Congresswoman a threat.

“It’s going to be a vigorous campaign that I will overwhelmingly be likely to prevail in,” Kirk said. “I’ve always had tough races in the House and Senate, and I’ve beat everybody.”

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Before You Go

Distinguishable Members Of Congress
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.)(01 of14)
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Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) is rarely seen without one of her signature, colorful, wide-brimmed hats. She's even said she has hundreds of hats in her collection. (credit:U.S. Congress)
Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.)(02 of14)
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Boozman hears his constituents loud and clear. The Arkansas senator has some of the most distinctive ears in the House. CORRECTION: This slideshow originally identified Boozman as a member of the House. We have updated to reflect he is a Senator from Arkansas. (credit:U.S. Congress)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.)(03 of14)
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Though political opponents, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), have attempted to use Grijalva's mustache against him, he and his facial hair have risen above their enemies. (credit:U.S. Congress)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.)(04 of14)
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Rep. DeLauro's short, dark hairdo makes her stand out. She's also known to wear some distinctive glasses and dynamic outfits. Some would even say she's a "hipster." (credit:U.S. Congress)
Rep. James Lankford (R-Okla.)(05 of14)
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Lankford's bright red hair stands out in the sea of salt-and-pepper congressmen. (credit:U.S. Congress)
Speaker Of The House John Boehner (R-Ohio)(06 of14)
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Boehner's striking blue eyes are perhaps the most unusual pair in Congress. Also, his skin is orange. (credit:U.S. Congress)
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.)(07 of14)
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Wasserman Schultz's curly blonde hair can't be missed. An October 2012 Vogue makeover called attention to the Florida representative's style.
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.)(08 of14)
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King has made some eyebrow-raising remarks, so it's a good thing his brows are some of the most memorable in all of Congress. (credit:U.S. Congress )
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas)(09 of14)
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Most of the men in Congress opt for the clean-shaven look. While the few with facial hair favor the mustache, Green goes all out. (credit:U.S. Congress)
Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.)(10 of14)
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Rep. Duckworth is the first Asian-American woman elected to Congress in Illinois, the first member of Congress born in Thailand and the first woman with disabilities to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. For many reasons she's one of the strongest and most recognizable members of the House. (credit:U.S. Congress)
Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.)(11 of14)
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Noem is more than just a pretty face. Last year, after getting voted hottest freshman in congress, she brushed off the accolade, saying she'd rather the attention be given to her lawmaking skills. (credit:U.S. Congress)
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.)(12 of14)
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Rep. Engel has donned the same mustache since he was first elected to Congress in the early 1990s, making his facial hair the most reliable and recognizable in the House. (credit:U.S. Congress )
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii)(13 of14)
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Gabbard stands out from the crowd as the first American Samoan and the first Hindu member of Congress. (credit:U.S. Congress )
Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.)(14 of14)
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Kennedy looks strikingly like his famous family members and political predecessors. (credit:U.S. Congress)