Iraq War Amputee Says She’ll Seek House Seat

Army Maj. L. Tammy Duckworth, a helicopter pilot who lost her legs to a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Iraq, formally announced she was seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat of retiring Rep. Henry J. Hyde, a Republican whose district covers Chicago’s western suburbs.

Duckworth wants to focus on healthcare, education and the economy, she said, though she knows the war will be a big issue. She announced her candidacy in Lombard.

Duckworth said she decided to run after attending the State of the Union address as a guest of Assistant Senate Minority Leader Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and after testifying before veteran affairs committees on Capitol Hill.

She has degrees in political science and international affairs.