Governor Candidate

Questions & Answers

What is the importance of the Illinois Governor to your constituents in Champaign County?

Champaign County is home to one of the best public universities in the country. U of I is a hub of economic development, and is a critical site of innovation, research, and training that must be lifted up to create economic prosperity in Illinois. But unfortunately, U of I, Champaign County, and communities across Illinois have suffered from decades of disinvestment that has been exacerbated by Bruce Rauner's manufactured budget crisis. As governor, my priorities will be reversing that disinvestment by investing in education, creating jobs, and expanding healthcare so communities in Champaign County and throughout our state have the tools they need to thrive.

Why are you qualified to be Governor?

I’ve spent my life fighting for fundamental Democratic values and getting big things done for Illinois families and communities in both the public and private sectors. For over 20 years, I’ve been a national advocate for early childhood education, including organizing the White House Summit on Early Childhood Education for President Obama in 2014. I helped expand federal school breakfast grants in Illinois so that over 200,000 more children in low-income school districts receive school breakfast.

I chaired the Illinois Human Rights Commission, the state agency that helps people find justice when they’ve been discriminated against in housing or in the workplace. I worked with dedicated Holocaust survivors for a decade to build the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, which teaches more than 60,000 Illinois students and teachers each year to fight bigotry, hatred, and intolerance.

I’ve also supported the Center on Wrongful Convictions in their critical work to reform our criminal justice system and fight for those who have experienced a miscarriage of justice. For more than a decade, I helped lead efforts to turn the Chicago region into a leading technology startup hub. I chaired the Technology and Entrepreneurship Committee for the City of Chicago and helped create the Chicago Venture Summit and the healthcare startup center MATTER. I founded 1871, a non-profit startup business incubator, which has helped create over 7,000 new jobs in Illinois and has helped make Chicago one of the top technology hubs in the world.

What is a key policy difference between you and your Primary Opponent[s]?

I’ve spent my life fighting for progressive Democratic values and getting big things done for Illinois families and communities in both the private and public sectors. The policy stances I’ve taken are a reflection of the progressive values I have always stood by.

A key policy difference between myself and Chris Kennedy is our stance on legalizing marijuana. I know we don’t need more studies—there is already evidence to show that marijuana can be legalized in a safe way, and it’s time we did that in Illinois. On this issue and others, Chris Kennedy has stood with Bruce Rauner and his harmful agenda. I don’t believe Rauner should be “applauded,” I don’t think he “speaks truth to power,” and I won’t stand with him when it comes to reforming our drug laws.

A difference between myself and Daniel Biss is our stance on workers’ rights. In 2013, Daniel Biss helped write legislation that would have slashed pensions for hundreds of thousands of workers if the Illinois Supreme Court didn’t step in. Biss has also voted to strip workers of collective bargaining rights. I’m proud to have the support of the statewide AFL-CIO and over 30 individual unions in this campaign and I will always stand with working families as governor.

Is there anything else you would like to say to an undecided voter in Champaign County?

My parents raised me with a commitment to social justice, and I have fought for those values throughout my life.

I have been a national leader supporting early childhood education, and I have released a five-point plan to expand access to give every child an opportunity to achieve their full potential. My plan would make kindergarten universal, put Illinois on a path towards universal preschool, increase access to childcare, and invest in adding more teachers and classrooms throughout Illinois.

I also have a comprehensive first-in-the-nation plan to expand healthcare called IllinoisCares. IllinoisCares would allow every Illinois resident the chance to purchase lower cost health insurance through the state’s Medicaid system like President Obama proposed. With the creation of IllinoisCares, small businesses, families and individuals can save thousands of dollars each year on health insurance premiums while making insurance more affordable for those without it. IllinoisCares would expand healthcare coverage in Illinois at little or no cost to the taxpayers.

My plan for Illinois jobs will grow the economy statewide, advancing an economy that works for every Illinoisan. It includes a focus on small businesses by providing access to capital and training, particularly focusing on our state’s forgotten communities. My plan would invest in economic development projects and infrastructure with a comprehensive 21st Century Capital Bill, and invest in higher education, lifting up community colleges and universities as economic hubs. By implementing my plan and stabilizing state government, I’m confident we can create good-paying jobs throughout our state.

NBC5 from Chicago hosted a Televised debate with all Democrat candidates running for Governor.

You can watch the full debate: here.