The district stretches from Chicago's South Side all the way down Danville and west to Pontiac.
Jackson Jr. spoke about why he's getting into the race and why voters should trust him after his conviction related to campaign finance fraud.
The former congressman brings with him a lot of experience in politics, and a lot of name recognition, but also some baggage. Now, he's determined to earn back the voters trust and try and make a difference.
"I'm running to serve," Jackson Jr. said.
He represented Illinois' 2nd Congressional District for 17 years, and now he's looking for another shot. Incumbent Robin Kelly is not seeking reelection, instead running for the U.S. Senate.
"I've only asked the people of the 2nd Congressional District to allow me to finish what I began for them, including opening up a gateway to the global economy that will change the course of their lives," Jackson Jr. said.
Jackson says he sees a leadership void. He toured the district to hear from voters.
"So I've listened carefully," he said. "I've weighed the costs. I've weighed the pros, the cons. For such a time as this."
READ MORE | Ex-Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to run for Congress again after serving time for campaign finance fraud
"I think right now he's an automatic front runner because of his name recognition, because of his experience in Congress," ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington said. "But there's a lot of people in this race. It's gonna be a very crowded race."
Jackson's once promising career ending in 2012 when he resigned for health reasons. The following year he pleaded guilty to campaign finance fraud. He went to prison for 18 months and was then released to a halfway house.
"And I'm prayerful and hopeful that we're a country of second chances," Jackson Jr. said in March 2015.
When asked Wednesday why should people should trust him again and give him a second chance, Jackson responded, "I'll have to earn it. They're not going to trust me. They're going to trust what I earn from them."
Jackson announced his campaign with a video invoking the memory of his famous father.
"I think his name can be a double edged sword, because many people feel like the Jacksons are a family dynasty that has passed its time," Washington said. "It's time for them to move on. So that may hurt him as much as it may help him."
Jackson calls the current political climate dangerous and disappointing, but he believes he was made for this moment.
"In the final analysis, when it's all said and done, when the great political battles are over, we are going to turn to each other and not on each other as Americans, if this nation is going to work, and I'd like to play some role in making that possible," Jackson Jr. said.