Candidates Pledge to Fight AGAINST the Reckless Rauner Agenda and FOR Children, Seniors, People With Disabilities and Their Caregivers

Illinois – SEIU Healthcare Illinois announces endorsements for the following candidates in Illinois:

Northern Illinois:

• 71st House District – Rep. Michael Smiddy (against Tony McCombie)
• 76th House District – Rep. Andrew Skoog (against Jerry Lee Long)
• 72nd House District – Mike Halpin (open seat)
• 93rd House District – John Curtis (against Rep. Norrine Hammond)
• 68th House District – Tricia Sweeney (against Rep. John Cabello)

• 38th Senate District – Christine Benson (against Sen. Sue Rezin)

Metro Chicago:

• 20th House District – Merry Marwig (against Rep. Michael McAuliffe)
• 45th House District – Cynthia Borbas (against Rep. Christine Winger)
• 46th House District – Rep. Deb Conroy (inc.)
• 55th House District – Rep. Marty Moylan (inc.)
• 56th House District – Rep. Michelle Mussman (inc.)
• 59th House District – Rep. Carol Sente (inc.)
• 61st House District – Nick Ciko (against Rep. Sheri Jesiel)
• 62nd House District – Rep. Sam Yingling (inc.)
• 79th House District – Rep. Kate Cloonen (inc.)
• 81st House District – Greg Hose (open seat)

• 22nd Senate District – Cristina Castro (open seat)
• 23rd Senate District – Sen. Tom Cullerton (inc.)
• 28th Senate District – Sen. Laura Murphy (inc.)
• 29th Senate District – Sen. Julie Morrison (inc.)
• 31st Senate District – Sen. Melinda Bush (inc.)

Central Illinois:

• 99th House District – Tony DelGiorno (against Rep. Sara Jimenez)
• 96th House District – Rep. Sue Scherer (open seat)
• 95th House District – Mike Mathis (against Rep. Avery Bourne)
• 112th House District – Katie Stuart (against Rep. Dwight Kay)
• 111th House District – Rep. Dan Beiser (against Mike Babcock)
• 79th House District – Rep. Kate Cloonen (against Lindsay Parkhurst)

• 52nd Senate District – Sen. Scott Benett (against Mike Madigan)

Southern Illinois:

• 115th House District – Marsha Griffin (against Rep. Terri Bryant)
• 117th House District – Rep. John Bradley (against Dave Severin)
• 118th House District – Rep. Brandon Phelps (against Jason Kasiar)

• 59th Senate District – Sen. Gary Forby (against Dale Fowler)
• 58th Senate District – Sheila Simon (open seat)

These candidates earned SEIU Healthcare Illinois’ endorsement by vowing to stand up for seniors, children and people with disabilities—and their caregivers—against the reckless agenda of Bruce Rauner, who has slashed social services and left the Illinois safety net in tatters.

Endorsed candidates agree with Illinoisans that the budget cannot be balanced on the backs of the vulnerable; that child care is a valuable tool for working families to enter the middle class; and that seniors and people with disabilities need stability in their care, not a series of cuts and a mountain of confusion.

Following is the statement of SEIU Healthcare Illinois Vice President Brynn Seibert in announcing the endorsement:

“We are excited to endorse these champions, because we know they will stand up for the values of Illinois families and fight to ensure the best outcomes for children, seniors and people with disabilities. Our caregivers are committed to building the best system of care possible for Illinois, but the attacks of Bruce Rauner have made this increasingly difficult.

“Whether it’s withholding Medicaid payments to nursing facilities, threatening workers with terminations for the crime of caring for people with disabilities in the awful overtime debacle or permanently damaging the once-model Child Care Assistance Program and kicking tens of thousands of children off car, the people of Illinois deserve someone who will fight for their values and the people who need it most instead of sitting willingly in the pocket of Wall Street special interests and the super-wealthy.

“November is a chance to get Illinois back on track. That’s why SEIU Healthcare Illinois and our members are proud to stand beside these champions to turn around the governor’s backward agenda and move our state forward.”