Endorsement

SEIU Illinois State Council Announces Endorsements of Candidates in June Primary

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The SEIU Illinois State Council endorses candidates who will fight for issues important to working families

CHICAGO – Over 170,000 janitors, security officers, healthcare and home care workers, public employees and more of the SEIU Illinois State Council announced endorsements in the June 28th Democratic primary. 

The SEIU Illinois State Council is proud to support the endorsed Democratic candidates, who best represent the interests and values of working families in our state. SEIU members have endorsed candidates who will lead on the “Unions for All” agenda where working people, united across racial lines and different backgrounds, can build and hold power with higher wages and affordable healthcare for all. 

“Long before the pandemic, our members were heroes fighting for higher workplace standards and worker and public safety, and essential investments in education, child care, healthcare and social services,” said Greg Kelley, the President of SEIU Healthcare Illinois who was sworn in as State Council President in December. “Now we are building on the lessons of the pandemic to partner with elected leaders to create the new normal Illinois needs—an Illinois in which all workers are paid living wages and afforded the voice on the job and respect we all deserve.”

“When politicians and their billionaire backers describe the communities we service as criminal, they’re really seeking to divert resources for the services we provide. Stoking fear is a strategy to avoid taking responsibility for their decisions. Especially the things they might do for big-money donors like Ken Griffin,” said SEIU Local 73 President Dian Palmer. “We are standing with candidates who reject messages of fear and division and who will ensure all our communities get better schools, not more barbed wire, and more jobs, not more jails.”

“Together, our members serve Illinois communities through frontline work and our commitment to fighting for working families on the job and at the ballot box. We are pleased to put our support behind a slate of candidates dedicated to standing up for all the working people of the state,” said Genie Kastrup, newly sworn in President of SEIU Local 1.

The SEIU-endorsed candidates include:

US Senate:

Tammy Duckworth

US House of Representatives: 

Robin Kelly, 2nd Congressional District

Chuy Garcia, 4th Congressional District

Mike Quigley, 5th Congressional District

Marie Newman, 6th Congressional District

Danny Davis, 7th Congressional District

Raja Krishnamoorthi, 8th Congressional District

Jan Schakowsky, 9th Congressional District

Brad Schneider, 10th Congressional District

Bill Foster, 11th Congressional District

Nikki Budzinski, 13th Congressional District

Lauren Underwood, 14th Congressional District

Litesa Wallace, 17th Congressional District

Illinois Governor:

J.B. Pritzker

Illinois Lt. Governor:

Julianna Stratton     

Secretary of State:

Alexi Giannoulias

Illinois Senate:

Omar Aquino, 2nd District

Robert Martwick, 10th District

Celina Villanueva, 12th District

LaMont Williams, 16th District 

Mike Halpin, 36th District

Illinois House:

 Lillian Jimenez, 4th District

Sonya M. Harper, 6th District

Michael Kelly, 15th District 

Lindsey LaPointe, 19th District 

Michael Zalewski, 23rd District

Curtis Tarver II, 25th District

Will Guzzardi, 39th District

Laura Faver Dias, 62nd District

Kathleen Willis, 77th District

Cook County:

Commissioner Brandon Johnson, 1st District

Commissioner Dennis Deer, 2nd District

Commissioner Monica Gordon, 5th District

Commissioner Sam Kukadia, 9th District

Commissioner Josina Morita, 13th District

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Yumeka Brown

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Patricia Flynn

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Dan Pogorzelski

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Mariyana Spyropoulos

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The SEIU Illinois State Council represents more than 170,000 working people, including home care and child care providers, security officers, food service workers, janitors, as well as public employees, medical professionals, first responders and social service workers. SEIU members are winning better wages, health care, and more secure jobs, while ensuring that working people, not just the wealthy and well-connected, benefit from today’s economy.