Corporate checks are calling the shots
I need to be honest about what we’re up against.
Our latest campaign finance reports just dropped. And my opponent took a $5,000 check from Sam Sanchez—a Trump-voting restaurant owner who’s fought against raising wages for tipped and low-wage workers.
That’s just the start. She also took:
$10,000 from DaVita
$10,500 from the Health Care Council of Illinois PAC
$2,000 from the Illinois Hospital Association PAC
$2,500 from the Realtor PAC
$1,000 from AstraZeneca
$500 from People’s Gas
So when you wonder why Springfield won’t challenge Big Pharma, rein in corporate landlords, or stand up for working people—this is why. Too many politicians cash checks from the same industries they should be holding accountable.
I see the impact of that every day when I’m out knocking on doors. People tell me about their rent going up hundreds of dollars every year, or being denied coverage for prescriptions their doctors say they need. And honestly, I get it. I’m angry too.
I pay high out-of-pocket costs for my own health care. And I see how insurance companies hold all the power in deciding what medical decisions people can reasonably make. That’s wrong—and the state can do something about it.
That’s why I want to pass legislation allowing Illinois to negotiate more prescription drug prices. And I want to end prior authorization for essential queer health care, including HIV prevention drugs and gender-affirming care—because no one should have to fight their insurance company just to get the care they need.
When I hear people say they’re worried about LGBTQ+ rights, me too—and it’s personal for me. From my roots as an organizer, I’ve always believed all policy should start with those who are most vulnerable—and right now, we need to fight even harder at the state level to protect their rights and dignity. Especially our trans neighbors.
And when it comes to housing, we need a champion who can lead on this issue in the State Senate. I’ve talked with too many families being priced out by corporate landlords who treat homes like investments, or watch as the limited housing stock make it too expensive to raise your family here. That’s why I’ll fight to regulate corporate landlords who price gouge rents and to make statewide zoning reforms that make is easier to build more housing that actually meets the needs of our neighborhoods.
Here’s the truth: Illinois has a Democratic supermajority. We control the House, Senate, and have a great governor. But the problem? The legislature rarely acts boldly. Too often, it protects the status quo instead of challenging it.
When you tell me how frustrated you are that there hasn’t been a real primary here since 1972—I hear you. Because I see how hard the establishment works to protect itself instead of fighting for you.
That’s exactly why I’m not taking a single dollar of corporate money. I don’t ever want to be beholden to donors who profit off your struggles. I want to be the kind of Democrat who fights for you and leads—not one who waits for permission.
While my opponent sits on over $1 million in corporate cash, we’re building something better: a campaign powered by neighbors, volunteers, and small-dollar donors who believe in change.
PS — Interested in learning more about who’s donating what to whom in Illinois? Check Illinois Sunshine. It’s all right there!