About the Candidate
Name: Delia Ramirez
DOB:
Occupation: State representative, 4th Illinois House District
Political Experience: Since 2018 state representative, 4th Illinois House District
Website: https://www.deliaforcongress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Delia4Congress
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Delia4Congress/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delia4congress/
Candidate Statement
I am Delia Ramirez and I’m the Democratic nominee for Congress in the new 3rd Congressional district.
I was born and raised in Chicago, and as a daughter of immigrants who worked multiple jobs to give our family a better life. I have dedicated my life to public service, and for the last 20 years, I have led on the most critical issues impacting our communities.
As state representative, I passed landmark legislation to secure $1.5 billion in mortgage and rental relief to keep families from losing their homes during the pandemic. I passed the first-in-the-nation initiative to secure health care coverage to seniors and essential workers regardless of legal status and I’ve helped pass the largest infrastructure bill in the state’s history.
I am running for Congress to build on this work.
We are facing unprecedented challenges with rising costs, healthcare, the climate change crisis and attacks on bodily autonomy for women and trans people.
No one should be scared to seek medical attention because they were afraid of medical debt. And everyone deserves the right to choose over their bodies.
This is why I am committed to passing Medicare for all, so that everyone has access to quality health care they need and deserve.
And you can count on me to protect and restore reproductive rights in Congress, because I’ve done so here in Illinois.
We need to safeguard our safety programs like Medicare and Social Security and we must fight back against the attacks on women and reproductive rights.
I am rooted in this district, I have a proven track record to deliver for our communities and I’m ready to serve you as the first Latina Congresswoman in the Midwest.
I humbly ask for your support on November 8. Vote for Delia, Democrat for Congress.
Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
I am running for Congress because the people of this new district deserve to be represented by someone with the track record of championing working families and passing legislation that is transformative to their everyday lives. If elected I would be the first Latina in Congress from the Midwest. I believe that elected officials should be rooted in the community and responsive to their constituencies. I am a product of this district, I have lived and worked here my whole life and I can relate to the issues of my constituents. I am ready to serve in Congress and continue the fight to expand access to healthcare so that no one goes broke trying to pay for necessary medical treatment and medication. I am running so that we can stop the vast housing insecurity that exists in our nation, so that we can tackle the climate crisis head on and so that we can make sure we protect abortion rights. I have centered my work in the community that supported me growing up and recruited me to run for the Illinois General Assembly and now US Congress. I will be accountable to the people of this district, not corporations which is why my campaign is refusing corporate PAC money.
What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?
It is obvious that Congress has not done and does not do very well in a highly partisan political world. It is hard to pass and implement new programs or even fully fund existing programs. However, Congress does provide a platform for raising and promoting solutions to our pressing problems and can provided the resources to states to implement programs (as the case with the American Cares Act and the proposed Build Back Better legislation.) In that context, we need to get more progressives in Congress to form a voting bloc to push for key programs and that understand and are responsive to the needs of their communities. We need to send to Congress progressive candidates rooted in the reality of everyday people but with the experience and negotiations skills that will allow us to pass meaningful legislation that will make a different in people's lives.
What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?
The most pressing issues in my District are: Healthcare, Abortion Rights, Ethnics Reform, Climate Crisis, Community Reinvestment and Immigration. My legislative priorities that would benefit working families in my district/state and make serious progress in addressing those issues are: 1. Passing Medicare for All or a single payer healthcare system that guarantees healthcare to all 2. Increase funding for affordable housing 3. Passing a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients and undocumented immigrants 4. Insure Transportation and Infrastructure funding prioritizes underinvested communities and that we invest in the Care Economy 5. Passing legislation that creates good paying, clean energy jobs and decreases our reliability on fossil fuels 6. Protecting reproductive rights 7. Fighting to get money out of politics through campaign finance reform and the repeal of End Citizens United
What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?
Transparency and accessibility are fundamental principles of my work as a community organizer and then as a State legislator and will continue to be as a member of Congress. I will continue to meet regularly with community organizations and leaders to get advice, feedback and guidance on issues in the Community as well as those before Congress. My office will be fully staffed to address constituent needs but will also regularly reach out to organizations and constituents to proactively discuss issues and problems in the district.
