2022 General Election Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

I’m running for re-election because we need a government that puts people first and addresses the kitchen table issues most important to working families. As Governor, my number one priority has been putting state government back on the side of working families. Previous administrations left Illinois’ finances in terrible shape, but my administration has worked tirelessly to turn things around by enacting balanced budgets, eliminating the bill backlog, earning six credit upgrades, and getting our state back on strong fiscal footing. As a result, we’re providing $1.8 billion in gas, grocery and property tax relief to help families overcome inflation and awarding more college scholarships than ever before.

I protected a woman’s right to choose and raised the minimum wage to a livable wage. And I accomplished all of that while fighting a deadly global pandemic, saving lives and livelihoods. I’m doing my job so working families can do theirs. My opponent, Darren Bailey, is a Trump extremist who would take our state backwards. He opposes abortion and thinks it’s ok to force a 10-year-old rape victim to give birth. He wants to separate Chicago from the rest of the state and even wants to eliminate the state minimum wage. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made in Illinois. I’m grateful for the trust you’ve put in me, and I’m ready to get even more big things done for our people

What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?

Throughout the pandemic and some of our state’s darkest hours, I have endeavored to lead with conviction and compassion –– providing strong leadership through tough times. I brought Republicans and Democrats together to achieve bipartisan victories on police and fire pension reform, business incentives and infrastructure investments, something previous administrations failed to do.

I’ve delivered on campaign promises, from raising the minimum wage to providing college scholarships to all eligible applicants to achieving the highest growth of new business creation in Illinois history. I’ve supported families in every corner of the state by enacting equal pay for equal work, codifying a woman’s right to choose despite the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and leading the fight against climate change with the most comprehensive clean energy law in the Midwest.

I’m delighted at how much we've been able to accomplish together in just three years, and I remain committed to tackling the challenges that remain. If reelected, I’m determined to deliver even more historic progress for families across Illinois.

What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?

Five years ago, when our state budget was held hostage by the former governor and the majority of his Republican Party, Illinoisans suffered massive disruption and devastation that we’ve spent the last three years trying to reverse. Our state’s unpaid bill backlog piled up to nearly $17 billion and we suffered 8 credit downgrades, with our universities experiencing five  of their own credit downgrades. Balancing the state budget, eliminating the bill backlog, restoring faith and trust in our financial condition, eliminating waste, and putting our state on a sustained trajectory of fiscal responsibility —that’s what I’ve worked tirelessly to achieve over the past 4 years.

And we’ve made enormous strides putting our state on firm fiscal footing. Doing so means we have been able to commit an unprecedented amount of funding toward violence interruption programs, invest in new state-of-the-art crime labs, add hundreds of state police to our ISP ranks, and fund witness protection programs to solve crimes faster and work to support public safety. It means we have been able to provide more students with more scholarships than ever before, and we’ve expanded mental health and substance abuse treatment.

I have always believed state government ought to, first and foremost, lift up the working families of Illinois and those who have too often been left out and left behind. Our balanced budget and budget surpluses has allowed us to provide $1.8 billion in tax relief to put money back in the pockets of hardworking Illinoisans. From the gas pump, to the checkout counter, to your home, we’re addressing rising costs and taking action to help folks make ends meet.  If reelected, continued fiscal stability and fighting to make Illinois the best state to live, work, and raise a family will remain my highest priorities.

What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?

I believe that all Illinoisans deserve easy access to their government, and I’ve taken steps to ensure that my office and the work of my administration has remained open, transparent and accessible to the public. My office can be reached by phone, including for those who are hearing impaired, and I have several staff members dedicated to responding to constituents and processing their requests. I have made efforts to include Illinoisans in my actions and communications through regular press conferences (more than any governor in recent memory), including briefings with a sign language interpreter, Executive Orders that were translated into Spanish, Arabic, Polish, Chinese, Hindi, and Tagalog, public bill signings, and social media updates and livestreams.

I have personally visited every region of Illinois on a regular basis in an effort to connect with the residents of this state, regardless of their background or zip code, and I received signatures from all 102 counties in Illinois to secure my spot on the ballot.

Importantly, I’m proud to have taken steps toward promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion across state government. I appointed the most diverse administration in state history including the first ever Chief Diversity Officer, and I established the Office of Equity to further equity-focused endeavors.