Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
I am running to continue the work I started almost 15 years ago advocating for the priorities and values of the people of Illinois’s 10th Congressional District. I am committed to improving the lives of the people in Illinois and throughout the country and to strengthening the institutions and the foundations of democracy that have defined our nation for 250 years.
I’m also running to continue serving the needs of the people here at home. I am incredibly proud of the work my office does helping constituents secure Social Security benefits and tax refunds they are owed. When local fire chiefs told me that outdated Medicare payments were making it harder to sustain ambulance services, I worked with Republicans and Democrats to introduce legislation to address the problem. Listening to people and following through is a fundamental part of this job.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?
As James Carville noted 35 years ago, “it’s the economy, stupid.” Everywhere I go, I hear from people across the district who are working hard and still struggling to get ahead. Families talk about the cost of groceries, housing, utilities, childcare, and health care. Small business owners face many of those same pressures, along with uncertainty that makes it harder to set prices, hire workers, and plan for the future. Affordability is the most pressing issue in the 10th District because it reaches into every part of daily life.
Congress needs to work on the costs people actually pay. That means reclaiming Congress’s tariff authority and ending President Trump’s foolish and capricious trade wars. It means working to lower the cost of health care for all Americans. It requires working with our allies to successfully end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
In Congress, I introduced the Keep Healthcare Affordable Act to help working- and middle-class families afford coverage. I support increasing the supply of affordable housing and helping families manage childcare costs. We must also invest in repairing, rebuilding, and in many cases renewing our infrastructure, American manufacturing, and workforce training so businesses can grow and connect more workers with good-paying jobs.
What is one unique challenge your district faces and how do you plan to address it?
Housing affordability is a challenge across the 10th District, though it looks different from one community to the next. A young family may be trying to buy its first home. A senior may want to downsize and remain near the people and places they know. A family facing homelessness needs a safe place to stay and the support to regain stability. We cannot meet all three needs with a single policy.
My office secured $4 million in federal funding for Lake County’s first fixed-site family shelter in Waukegan, which will bring shelter and support services together. I have advocated for expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to increase housing supply and make affordable housing possible for more families. I’m also proud to have supported bipartisan legislation to expand opportunities for homeownership.
I’ll continue working with local leaders to build more housing of all types and ensure federal investments meet the needs of our communities. That means helping young families put down roots, making it possible for seniors to stay in their communities, and giving families facing homelessness a path back to stability.
What do you think federal immigration reform should look like?
Smart, fair, efficient, and secure.
Our immigration system has needed comprehensive reform for years. That means smart border security, modernized immigration laws, the capacity to process cases fairly and efficiently, and a legal pathway for people who want to contribute to our country. We also need a path to citizenship for immigrants who have lived here peacefully for years.
I do not support the Trump Administration’s extreme, aggressive deportation campaign. We can enforce our immigration laws humanely and focus on people who pose genuine threats to public safety without abandoning due process or treating entire communities as threats.
Under this Administration, ICE and CBP operations like Midway Blitz in Chicago have instead brought fear to communities and raised grave questions about the use of force and accountability. I have opposed additional funding for these agencies without meaningful reforms, including body cameras, an end to warrantless arrests and enforcement targeting sensitive places, and independent investigations of shootings involving federal agents.
Congress has had opportunities to make progress on comprehensive reform, including bipartisan proposals to invest in border security and improve the asylum system, but political gamesmanship has repeatedly gotten in the way. A durable solution must be tough about securing the border and keeping dangerous criminals off our streets, fair to people seeking protection or a legal future here, and faithful to the Constitution. We need to do the work of passing that legislation instead of lurching from one enforcement crisis to the next.
How should Congress address the rising costs of health care?
Every American should be able to get quality, affordable care from providers they know and trust, when and where they need it. Unfortunately, because of the policies of the Trump Administration and the Republican’s One Big Beautiful Bill, millions of Americans are facing higher premiums, more difficult choices about coverage, and the risk of losing care altogether. One thing Congress should do is restore the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. With 300,000 IL residents facing losing coverage, we must also act to ensure Medicaid continues to provide essential coverage for children, people with disabilities, seniors, and working families.
I introduced the Keep Healthcare Affordable Act to extend the enhanced premium tax credits while focusing assistance on working- and middle-class families. But, having insurance does not necessarily mean a family can afford to use it. Premiums are only part of the cost. Deductibles and prescription drug prices can still force people to delay care or go without it. That is a problem for people with employer coverage as well as those who buy insurance through the marketplace. I support building on the ACA, continuing Medicare’s work to negotiate lower drug prices, protecting Medicare and Medicaid, and expanding affordable choice, including a public option.
What approach would you take on tax policy and what is your top priority?
One of my top priorities is a tax code that treats working families fairly and helps put our country on a sound fiscal path. Before asking families and small businesses that already pay their taxes to carry a greater burden, Congress should collect the taxes owed and close loopholes that allow the wealthiest individuals and corporations to avoid paying their fair share.
That is why I voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which strengthened enforcement against wealthy tax cheats and established a minimum tax for large corporations paying very low rates. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I have also worked to address the cap on state and local tax deductions. Illinois families should not be unfairly penalized for the taxes they pay to support their communities.
I support targeted tax policies that help families afford housing, raise children, and save for retirement. Congress must make wise choices about spending and consider the long-term effects of both what we fund and what we cut. If we fail to address the nation’s staggering debt, it becomes more and more difficult for the federal government to invest in what matters most, like health care, education, housing, childcare, or infrastructure.
Is the House currently using its oversight powers in the way it should be? What areas of government need more or less oversight?
No. Congress has a constitutional obligation to conduct oversight of the executive branch. House Republican leadership has abdicated that responsibility at every turn.
Trade is a clear example. The Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority over tariffs and taxes, yet the President has imposed sweeping, unpredictable duties with little scrutiny of what they cost American families and businesses. I have worked to reassert Congress’s role in trade policy by introducing legislation to rein in Trump’s tariff authority.
No one is beyond accountability. Oversight requires substantive hearings, a willingness to pursue the facts and records wherever they lead, and legislation when existing safeguards fall short. Congress must exercise that authority regardless of who occupies the White House and ensure the American people receive the answers and transparency they deserve.
What is the most pressing foreign policy issue facing the country and what role should the House play in dealing with it?
It’s hard to state just one, but among the most pressing foreign policy issues facing our country are (1) ending the war in Ukraine and the threat Russia poses to our allies and the global order, and (2) ending the war with Iran while ensuring the regime never obtains a nuclear weapon. Iran is a threat not just to its neighbors in the Middle East, but to the United States and the world. It has developed a sophisticated missile and drone program, is the number one sponsor of terrorism, and has gone to extraordinary lengths to hide its nuclear activities.
The House must exercise its constitutional role in decisions about continued hostilities. Since U.S. military action began, I have pressed the administration to brief Congress on the threat posed by Iran, the goals of Operation Epic Fury, and its strategy for achieving them. I have also voted multiple times for war powers resolutions to reassert Congress’ authority to declare war. It’s unacceptable that, seven months into this war, the Administration still has not given the American people a clear account of its objectives or how it intends to bring the conflict to an end.
How do you view AI and the role the government should play in its regulation?
Artificial intelligence (AI) presents both a great opportunity for human advancement and a threat to humanity itself. The AI challenge is not the first time we have faced such a dichotomy. Nuclear fission has the potential to meet our ever-expanding energy needs and the potential to wipe out life as we know it. As with nuclear power, we need to bring the world together to establish guardrails that protect people and the planet. American leadership is critical.
We have to recognize and urgently address the risks posed by AI. Congress must work with technical experts, industry, and the public to determine what testing the most powerful systems require before release, what safeguards keep people in control, and how serious problems will be reported and addressed. I joined colleagues in pressing xAI about the safeguards behind its Grok chatbot. Companies developing far more capable systems warrant meaningful scrutiny.
I also hear from constituents concerned about large data centers and their effects on the environment and utility costs. I helped pass the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act in the House to protect consumers from energy cost spikes caused by data centers. I will continue working to ensure the companies operating them pay their fair share and do not leave communities bearing the costs.
How would you describe the current state of your party and what changes or new approaches would you like to see your party adopt?
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi always said that Democrats’ diversity is our strength, our unity is our power. Leader Hakeem Jeffries has built on that idea. Democrats are united in confronting an out-of-control administration that has disregarded constitutional limits and made life more expensive and more difficult for hardworking American families. We now must make an equally clear case for what we will do if voters give us the responsibility to govern.That said, we also must recognize and address those that seek to undermine either the diversity or the unity of our party. We must reject those who seek to establish litmus tests or inject undemocratic ideas and ideologies into the party. I am committed to ensuring we have room in our party for everyone willing to work together to grow our economy, educate our children, protect our promises to our seniors, build up our communities, make life better for our people, and promote our country’s leadership in advancing peace around the world.
As a Caucus, Democrats will have disagreements, and we should debate them openly to find a path toward delivering for the American people. A majority gives us the chance to govern, and we must stay focused on using it well to address the issues keeping families up at night.