Illinois AFL-CIO Issues Political Endorsements for Primary

Recently, the Illinois AFL-CIO endorsed candidates for the upcoming March primary, following the recommendations of more than 100 delegates from across the state at the Committee on Political Education (COPE) meeting in Countryside. The voting delegates represented more than 1,500 affiliated unions, in turn serving nearly one million workers throughout the state. Endorsements were confirmed by the Illinois AFL-CIO Executive Board, and included candidates for U.S. Senate, Congress, state legislature, and judicial races.

“There has never been a moment more critical to the future of working people,” remarked Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. “The Illinois AFL-CIO endorsement is one of the most coveted in state politics and represents the full force and unmatched reach of our political program. Our members are excited by today’s endorsement session and are ready to get to work.”

Endorsed candidates must demonstrate their commitment to working families through their voting record and/or a submitted questionnaire. Candidates will benefit from the Illinois AFL-CIO Political Program. Through canvassing, phone-banking, and text-banking, Labor volunteers speak directly to the 1.7 million union household members across the state about the issues most important to them – mobilizing one of the largest consistencies in the state through personalized communication from trusted messengers.

“The delegates and board members voting on our endorsement slate focused on the most important issues impacting working people today,” stated Pat Devaney, Illinois AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer. “We are looking forward to working with candidates to ensure they fully understand the needs of working Illinoisans.”

In addition to its field operations, the AFL-CIO supports endorsed candidates with mail and digital outreach to union households and offers tools for affiliated unions to reach their membership though customized mail, text, and email.

Candidates endorsed by the Illinois AFL-CIO include:

•U.S. House: 1st – Jonathan Jackson; 2nd – Robin Kelly; 3rd – Delia Ramirez; 4th – Chuy Garcia; 5th – Mike Quigley; 6th – Sean Casten; 7th – Danny Davis; 8th – Raja Krishnamoorthi; 9th – Jan Schakowsky; 10th – Brad Schneider; 11th – Bill Foster; 12th – Brian Roberts; 13th – Nikki Budzinski; 14th – Lauren Underwood; and 7th – Eric Sorensen.

•State Senate: 1st – Javier Cervantes; 4th – Kimberly Lightford; 5th – Lakesia Collins; 7th – Mike Simmons; 10th – Robert Martwick; 13th – Robert Peters; 16th – Willie Preston; 19th – Michael Hastings; 20th – Natalie Toro; 22nd – Cristina Castro; 25th – Karina Villa; 28th – Laura Murphy; 31st – Mary Edly-Allen; 34th – Steve Stadelman; 40th – Patrick Joyce; 43rd – Rachel Ventura; 46th – Dave Koehler; 49th – Meg Loughran Cappel; and 52nd – Paul Faraci.

•State House: 1st – Aaron Ortiz; 2nd – Lisa Hernandez; 3rd – Eva Dina Delgado; 4th – Lilian Jimenez; 5th – Kimberly Neely DuBuclet; 6th – Sonya Harper; 7th – Emanuel Chris Welch; 8th – La Shawn Ford; 9th – Yolonda Morris; 10th – Omar Williams; 11th – Ann Williams; 12th – Margaret Croke; 13th – Hoan Huynh; 14th – Kelly Cassidy; 15th – Mike Kelly; 17th – Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz; 18th – Robyn Gabel; 19th – Lindsey LaPointe; 20th – Brad Stephens; 21st – Abdelnasser Rashid; 22nd – Angie Guerrero-Cuellar; 23rd – Edgar Gonzalez; 24th – Theresa Mah; 25th – Curtis Tarver II; 26th – Kam Buckner; 27th – Justin Slaughter; 28th – Bob Rita; 29th – Thaddeus Jones; 30th – Will Davis; 31st – Michael Crawford; 32nd – Lisa Davis; 33rd – Marcus Evans; 34th – Nick Smith; 35th – Mary Gill; 36th – Rick Ryan; 38th – Debbie Meyers-Martin; 39th – Will Guzzardi; 40th – Jaime Andrade; 41st – Janet Yang Rohr; 42nd – Terra Costa Howard; 43rd – Anna Moeller; 44th – Fred Crespo; 46th – Diane Blair-Sherlock; 47th – Jackie Williamson; 48th – Maria Vesey ; 49th – Maura Hirschaue; 50th – Barbara Hernandez; 51st – Nabeela Syed; 52nd – Maria Peterson; 53rd – Mark Walker; 54th – Mary Beth Cant; 55th – Marty Moylan; 56th – Michelle Mussman; 57th – Tracy Katz Muhl; 58th – Bob Morgan; 59th – Daniel Didech; 60th – Rita Mayfield; 61st – Joyce Mason; 62nd – Laura Faver Dias; 63rd – Mary Mahady; 65th – Linda Robertson; 66th – Suzanne Ness; 67th – Maurice West II; 68th – Dave Vella; 72nd – Gregg Johnson; 77th – Norma Hernandez; 78th – Camille Lilly; 80th – Anthony DeLuca; 81st – Anne Stava-Murray; 83rd – Matt Hanson; 84th – Stephanie Kifowit; 85th – Dagmara “Dee” Avelar; 86th – Larry Walsh Jr.; 91st – Sharon Chung; 92nd – Jehan Gordon-Booth; 96th – Sue Scherer; 97th – Harry Benton; 98th – Natalie Manley; 103rd – Carol Ammons; 104th – Jarrett Clem; 105th – Morgan Phillips; 111th – Nick Raftopoulos; 112th – Katie Stuart; 113th – Jay Hoffman; and 114th – LaToya Greenwood.

•Judicial: 1st Sup – Joy Cunningham; 1st App – Mary Lane Mikva; 1st App – Cynthia Cobbs; 1st App – Celia Louise Gamrath; 1st App – Carl Anthony Walker; 3rd App – Joe Hettel; 3rd App – Linda Davenport; and 3rd App – Lance Peterson.