2022 Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

I am running for reelection alongside Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton to safeguard and build upon the meaningful progress we’ve made putting state government back on the side of working families. Previous administrations left Illinois’ finances in dire straits, but from day one I have focused on putting our state on firmer fiscal footing — proposing, passing and signing four balanced budgets, eliminating the bill backlog, restoring the Budget Stabilization (“Rainy Day”) Fund to its highest level ever, and paying down the state’s short and long term debt. Illinois state government is now a fiscally responsible one, allowing us to save taxpayers money, put dollars back in taxpayers’ pockets, and lower our state’s interest payments with the three credit upgrades under my leadership.

We’ve also made historic investments to rebuild our roads, bridges, parks and schools — improving the lives and livelihoods of Illinoisans. Even when there are disagreements, it’s up to the Governor to work with the General Assembly to ensure residents have access to good-paying jobs, a quality education, and affordable health care, and that’s what I’ve fought for from the beginning.

There is so much at stake in this election, and Juliana and I will continue to fight for more opportunities for all Illinoisans from Carbondale to Champaign to Chicago

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 investment––something the previous administration failed to do.

I’ve delivered on campaign promises, from raising the minimum wage to providing more college scholarships to achieving the highest growth of new business creation in Illinois history. I’ve supported families in every corner of the state by signing into law equal pay for equal work, codifying a woman’s right to choose even if Roe v. Wade is overturned, putting in place policies that have led to the largest growth of new small businesses in state history, 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. Violence interruption programs were destroyed. DCFS shut down 500 residential beds for our state’s most vulnerable children. The developmentally disabled had their services and support eliminated. Our state’s unpaid bill backlog piled up to nearly $17 billion. And our state suffered 8 credit downgrades while forcing our universities to get 5 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 on tirelessly since taking office. We’ve made enormous strides at 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 help police solve crimes faster and work to support public safety.

It means we have been able to provide more students more scholarship dollars than ever before, and we’ve expanded mental health and substance abuse treatment. 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. Moreover, families are feeling the squeeze of global inflation.

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.

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.

Notwithstanding the pandemic, 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.