2022 General Election Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

When my father lost his income in the recession of the early-1970s, my family experienced economic hardship for a period and had to rely on public housing and food stamps.  Thanks to the generosity of the American people, access to a quality public education, and robust economic opportunities in this country, my family persevered and built a thriving, middle-class life in Peoria, Illinois. In Congress, I have worked to help more Americans achieve and sustain the middle-class life that my family experienced.

During my five years in Congress, I am proud to have accomplished a lot in this regard, such as expanding technical education for the 2/3rds of Americans who don’t attend four-year college and passing an infrastructure bill that will create millions of good jobs. I have also co-led legislative efforts to move our economy toward renewable domestic energy sources and to decrease the high cost of prescription drugs. I will continue to fight for working families in Illinois. 

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

I am very proud of my office’s success helping my constituents with their problems. Whether it’s through locating missing Social Security checks, helping veterans get their benefits, ensuring small businesses obtain pandemic loans, or reuniting families with relatives in Afghanistan or Ukraine, serving the people of the 8th District is my number one priority.

What needs fixing is the cynicism about government that I hear from many of my constituents. Many Americans no longer believe that their government works for them, but rather for officeholders and their friends. One big step Congress can take to help restore faith in government would be to pass legislation I wrote to ban Members of Congress and top staff from trading individual stocks.  This would send a strong signal that Congress is focused on the public interest rather than using insider knowledge to promote their own financial interest.

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

I hear constantly from my constituents, in town meetings and in public, on how they are struggling with higher prices on everyday goods such as food and gas. I have supported efforts in Congress to prioritize within the infrastructure bill those projects that address supply-chain problems, such as harbor and rail improvements.  I also helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act which will, among many things, reduce the high cost of many essential prescription drugs in America.

As Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, I am leading an investigation into corporate profiteering and price gouging by shipping companies, rental car companies, meat processing companies, and many more. I want to ensure that such price increases are not an attempt to gouge consumers and unfairly raise prices under the cover of inflation.

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

I have made it a hallmark of my representation in Congress to be accessible to all constituents of the 8th congressional district regardless of who they are, where they live, or what they believe.  I am the Congressman for every resident of our district, whether they voted for me or not, and am willing to assist on a variety of issues, including but not limited to immigration, small business relief, veterans’ assistance, and Social Security and Medicare. I reach out to my constituents through regular town hall meetings, in-person meetings, and through emails and active social media accounts.

My district encompasses many elected officials of both parties, including 14 bipartisan local Mayors who have endorsed me. I am proud to have brought home millions in federal tax dollars for worthy projects spanning our congressional district, including grants to address domestic violence, build job training centers, and enhance early childhood learning programs at libraries and schools.