Jeannie Evans

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

I’m running for United States Senate because there are important issues that demand leadership. With Democrat rule in Illinois, families are struggling with high prices and high crime. We need a fresh voice who will innovate to make our communities safer and more prosperous, and bring down the cost of living, so that American families can afford to put food on the table and pay their electric bill. I’m not a politician; I’m a true political outsider. I am a mother, wife, and Harvard-trained lawyer who’s taken on powerful corporations—including China-based tech firms like TikTok—and recovered billions for American families.  I’ve won real results through hard work and tenacity. I don’t give up.  I’ll bring that unstoppable energy to Washington to cut taxes and red tape so that businesses can thrive in Illinois and create jobs and opportunities. I will support law enforcement to make our communities safer, support education, and  promote fair market competition to lower costs for Illinois families. The future doesn’t wait—Illinois deserves fresh leadership that delivers.

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

The most pressing issue is the high cost of living—crushing taxes, inflation, housing shortages, and everyday expenses forcing families and businesses to leave Illinois. We’ll reverse this by cutting taxes to let workers keep more of their earnings, slashing burdensome regulations and red tape to help small businesses thrive, promoting fair markets and competition to bring down prices on goods and housing, investing in education and vocational training for good jobs, and supporting emerging businesses. By focusing on economic growth and opportunity, we’ll make Illinois a place families want to stay and build in.

What do you think federal immigration reform should look like?

Under the Biden Administration, we had an open border that allowed over ten million people to cross into our country illegally. That is wrong. Federal immigration reform must start with securing our borders to stop illegal crossings, reduce drug trafficking, protect our national security, and restore order. The Trump administration has taken bold action to secure our Southern border.  We should pass HR-2 or similar legislation to take the gains the Trump administration has made and pass them into law, so that future administrations do not make the open-border mistakes we saw under the Biden administration. After we have more permanently secured the border and interior policy, then we can update immigration policy related to legal pathways, so that we are choosing the people who come into our country. We need tall fences at our borders, and sensible modern gates–where Congress makes intentional decisions about who will enter our country and when.

How should the Senate address the rising costs of health care? 

Health care costs are rising because our system too often lacks the fair competition and transparency that make markets work. The Senate should focus on restoring a functioning marketplace where patients—not bureaucracies or monopolies—drive decisions.

First, Congress should promote real price transparency. Patients should be able to see the cost of procedures, tests, and prescriptions before receiving care. When prices are visible, competition increases and costs fall—just as they do in other sectors of the economy.  Second, we need stronger enforcement of antitrust laws in health care. Hospital consolidation and insurer consolidation have reduced competition in many regions and driven up prices for families and employers. I will oppose consolidation that harms patients, and promote competitive healthcare markets, so patients benefit from lower prices and better service. Third, Congress should remove federal barriers that limit competition and innovation. Expanding access to telemedicine across state lines, allowing greater competition in insurance markets, and speeding up approval of generic drugs and innovative treatments can all help bring down costs. 

These market-based reforms will make healthcare more affordable and accessible without limiting options or raising taxes—putting patients and families first.

What approach would you take on tax policy?

My approach to tax policy is straightforward: lower and simpler taxes. I’ll fight to make the 2025 tax cut extension permanent and reduce the overall tax burden on families and businesses so people keep more of what they earn.  

Americans know how to spend their money. I will push to keep taxes low so people can decide how to spend their own money. Lower taxes spurs hiring, expansion, and opportunity. Along with lowering taxes, Congress needs to reduce spending and achieve a balanced budget.

I will also work to simplify the tax code. The current system is too complex, forcing families and small businesses to spend too much time and money navigating thousands of pages of rules. A simpler code with fewer special-interest loopholes would lower compliance costs, reduce corruption, and make the system more fair. A simpler tax code would also make it easier for small businesses to compete.

Should any changes be made to the size of the Supreme Court or the confirmation process?

I do not support expanding the size of the Supreme Court. Court-packing would damage the credibility of the Court and turn it into a more political body. If one party adds seats to get a court ruling it wants, the other party could do the same when it takes power. That would undermine the rule of law.

The Constitution provides the right framework for confirmations: the President nominates and the Senate provides advice and consent. In deciding whether to confirm a judge, senators should focus on judges who respect the Constitution and the proper role of the judiciary. Judges should be committed to faithfully applying the Constitution and other laws as they are written, and not legislate from the bench or impose their own policy preferences. In the confirmation process, senators should also look for judges who have strong legal qualifications, sound judgment, good moral character, and a reputation for integrity and fairness. 

The goal is an independent judiciary that is guided by the rule of law and protects the constitutional rights of Americans. Preserving the stability of the Court and appointing judges who will faithfully apply the law will do far more to strengthen our system than changing the structure of the Court itself.

Do you believe the structure of the Senate leads to legislative gridlock? What would you change?

The Founders created the Senate in a way that encourages deliberation, protects minority viewpoints, and prevents narrow majorities from rushing sweeping changes through Congress. That stability is a strength, not a weakness, of our republic. What people call “gridlock” is often the result of deep disagreements about the direction of the country. When Americans elect a divided government, it usually means they want compromise and restraint rather than sweeping partisan legislation.

That said, there are problems. Too often, leaders push giant last-minute bills that are thousands of pages long and negotiated behind closed doors. Members are expected to vote without time for real debate or amendments. That process fuels distrust and makes it harder to pass good laws. Rather than changing the basic structure of the Senate, we should return to regular order—committee hearings, open amendments, and real debate on the floor. Senators should actually legislate instead of relying on executive agencies and bureaucrats to make major policy decisions. If we restore transparency and respect for the Constitution, the Senate can function the way it was intended: deliberate, responsible, and accountable to the American people.

What is the most pressing foreign policy issue facing the country and what role should the Senate play in dealing with it?

China’s aggression is the greatest long-term threat to America’s security, economy, and way of life—through economic espionage, intellectual property theft, fentanyl precursors fueling our opioid crisis, aggressive actions toward Taiwan, and relentless surveillance via apps that harvest Americans' personal and biometric data. China blatantly seeks to dominate the South China Sea threatening a quarter of global trade. As a lead antitrust and privacy attorney, I’ve been on the front lines suing China-based tech giants like TikTok, CapCut, and Temu for illegally collecting and profiting from Americans' private information, defending families and national security, and recovering billions for Americans harmed by monopolistic and wrongful practices. 

I’ve taken on powerful corporations, and I’ll do the same in the U.S. Senate. The Senate must lead by passing tough, targeted legislation: stronger trade enforcement, sanctions on bad actors, investments in defense and American innovation, alliances in the Indo-Pacific, and ironclad protections for privacy and data rights to counter China’s influence. We’ll hold them accountable, protect our families and businesses, and ensure America remains the world’s leading force for freedom and opportunity—through bipartisan resolve, oversight, and decisive action that puts American interests first.

How do you view AI and the role the government should play in its regulation?

AI is a transformative opportunity for innovation, job creation, economic growth, and solving complex problems—but it also carries risks. I will work to keep America the world leader in the development and use of AI, ensuring national security against adversaries, building on my work against Chinese tech firms. I will also protect the rights of Americans to their own data and the content they create, which is the foundation of AI advancement, rather than allowing big tech to reap all the profits. I will craft legislation to increase AI transparency to ensure greater choice, family protection, and safety. And I will work to develop lifelong education and employment opportunities that enable workers and businesses to use rather than be replaced by AI.

How will your approach differ from or mirror that of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin?

For nearly three decades, Senator Durbin has been part of the Democrat leadership in Washington. During that time, Durbin has supported bigger government and increased spending. Families in Illinois are paying the price through higher taxes, inflation, and more regulation.

Illinois needs a fresh voice to lead us in a different direction. I am a mom, a winning attorney, and a political outsider. First, I will focus on economic growth and opportunity. That means supporting pro-growth tax policy, reducing unnecessary federal regulations, and encouraging competition so businesses can expand and create good jobs. Illinois families and small businesses should be able to keep more of what they earn. 

Second, the federal government must restore fiscal discipline. Washington cannot continue spending trillions of dollars we do not have and passing the bill to our children. I will work to rein in wasteful spending and bring greater accountability to federal agencies. Third, I will prioritize public safety and secure borders. The federal government has a responsibility to enforce immigration laws and keep our communities safe.

Finally, I will approach the job with an independent mindset focused on the people of Illinois, not party leadership in Washington. Too often Senator Durbin has acted as a voice for the national Democratic agenda. I will be a voice for Illinois families, small businesses, farmers, and workers who want practical solutions and a government that lives within its means.

How would you describe the current state of your party and what changes or new approaches would you like to see your party adopt?

The Republican Party stands on strong principles—freedom, opportunity, limited government, and fiscal responsibility—that connect with hardworking Illinoisans. But in our state, the Republican party has been trapped in a losing pattern: the same establishment names running over and over with the same strategies, delivering defeats year after year. As a true political outsider—never involved in or tied to the Illinois Republican Party machine—I bring a fresh voice committed to breaking that cycle. 

It’s time to start winning. That means recruiting and backing strong, results-oriented people who can win in November and connect with working families, small business owners, suburban parents, and independents fed up with high taxes, crime, and dysfunction. Our focus must shift to practical wins: lower costs, safer streets, better jobs, and real accountability. Instead of clinging to outdated approaches, let’s build a bold, unified effort to field winners who fight smart and earn broad support. I’m a mom of four and a winning attorney who has achieved great results. I am ready to achieve great results for the people of Illinois.