About the Candidate
Name: Jacqueline McGowan
DOB: Dec. 11, 1974
Occupation: Cannabis policy advisor
Political Experience: I have worked for the past eight years on legalizing cannabis at the local and state level in rural America. This led me run for Governor of California where I finished in 7th place and received 3x as many votes as Caitlyn Jenner.
Website: www.jackiemcgowan.com
Twitter: @jackieforil
Facebook: @jackieforcongress
Instagram: @thejackiemcgowan
Candidate Statement
Hi. I’m Jackie McGowan and I am a Democratic candidate for Congress in the 17th District of Illinois.
My path to where I am today has been unfolding since I was a young child. I was one of those kids that could not sit idly by when I saw someone being disadvantaged and left behind. I have always had a drive to engage, to advocate and to fight for those who were being wrongly left behind. At this young age, I felt that complaining was just complaining – it made much more sense to actively get involved. Words are just words. Actions are what matter! My candidacy is a call to action.
I care deeply about honesty and accountability in government. I’ve seen firsthand the corruption and deceit that occurs. This cannot persist. The fight and mission against this is a difficult one, but not one that I would shy away from. After years of working in a male-dominated financial industry that is based on executing deals, I am more than ready to occupy a seat at the table in Congress as your representative. I look forward to fighting for your interests and to protecting your rights.
Thank you. And vote for Jackie McGowan on June 28th.
Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
I am running for office because my soul is the most content when I am of service to others.
What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?
Congresswoman Bustos is well known for bringing home the bacon, so to speak. This will not possibly continue if Sophia King wins and the nightmare of Kevin McCarthy becoming Speaker comes true.
As good as Congresswoman Bustos has been at bringing home federal dollars, there is a feeling outside the Quad Cities that sometimes the outlying areas do not receive the same kind of attention. I will make sure that the entire District knows they are on my radar.
What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?
Inflation is a nationwide concern. But different parts of our district have different pressing needs. Rockford and Peoria, for instance, have seen a spike in violent crime, while much of our district being rural has other issues. Supply chain problems plague the manufacturing and agriculture industry districtwide.
Passing Build Back Better will go along way toward addressing all these needs.
What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?
I would continue the satellite office structure with offices in Rock Island, Peoria and Rockford.
The pandemic taught us how we can make better use of technology to keep in touch with each other. In addition to frequent in person town hall meetings, I would make use of virtual town hall meetings, exploring the concept of doing them town by town or county by county.
