Here’s a BND Voter Guide for candidates running for Congress in Illinois election

Welcome to the Belleville News-Democrat’s Voter Guide for the congressional races in the Nov. 5 election in Illinois.

The News-Democrat has contacted the candidates running in competitive races in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 12th and 13th Congressional Districts and asked them to complete a candidate questionnaire. In the 15th Congressional District, Rep. Mary Miller is running uncontested.

While this article has information about congressional candidates, you can go to this page at bnd.com to get links to read about candidates running for state legislative and county positions.

Here are the responses from the congressional candidates who have replied: (The candidates are listed alphabetically.)

12th Congressional District

NAME: MIKE BOST

Political party: Republican

Age as of Nov. 5, 2024: 63

Office seeking: Representative in Congress, 12th District

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Campaign website or social media page: www.bostforcongress.com Facebook: Mike Bost Twitter: @bostforcongress Truth Social: @bostforcongress

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought.) Jackson County Board, 1984–88. Treasurer of Murphysboro Township, 1989–92. Trustee of Murphysboro Township, 1993–95. Illinois House of Representatives from the 115th District, 1995-2015. U.S. House of Representatives from the 12th District, 2015-present.

Occupation: Member of Congress. Former professional firefighter and small business owner.

Education: Murphysboro High School. University of Illinois Certified Firefighter II Academy

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: United States Marine Corps- 1979-1982; Full-time firefighter- 1993-1995

Who are your top three campaign contributors? I’m proud to have received strong financial support from across southern Illinois, including from hundreds of low-dollar conservative donors. We’ve also received great support from local job creators and from unions that represent working men and women in the building trades, transportation, first responders, and more.

Why are you running? I am running for Congress because I want a better, brighter and more secure future for our children and grandchildren. The woke Biden/Harris agenda is crushing our families, and southern Illinoisans deserve a fighter who will stand up for our values in Congress. The people want real, conservative leadership that beats back the liberal agenda and improves conditions for working families, and that is exactly what I am doing in Congress.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? The invasion at our southern border. We have a crisis that is out of control thanks to the current border czar Kamala Harris. The drugs and dangers that are pouring into our country must be stopped. I have visited Eagle Pass, Texas, twice in the last two years and met with border patrol agents who are overworked and undermanned. They know Biden and Harris have failed them. We must re-elect President Trump and implement the no-nonsense border security bill I voted for: H.R. 2 would finish President Trump’s border wall, end catch and release and hire more border patrol agents to end this crisis once and for all.

Why should people vote for you? I am a battle-tested conservative with a record of results. I strongly supported the Trump agenda when he was in the White House and never hesitated to stand up to the liberals who were destroying our economy, our security and our values. I am proud to have the endorsements of President Donald J. Trump, National Right to Life, the National Rifle Association, the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois’ police officers and firefighters, and House Freedom Caucus conservatives Jim Jordan and Byron Donalds.

What will you do to improve the lives of residents in your district? I am proud to serve on three key committees that are vital to southern Illinoisans. On the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I am working to fund surface transportation programs and provide certainty and stability for the private sector and state and local governments. On the Agriculture Committee, I am actively working on increasing rural broadband access for residents and businesses and increasing the accessibility of credit to our new and beginning farmers and ranchers. And as chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I am working to ensure that our veterans receive the care and services to which they are entitled in a timely, convenient and efficient manner.

Explain the types of policies you support to improve the nation’s economy. Southern Illinoisans are struggling under the Biden/Harris Administration. Inflation was recently at a 40-year high. Gas, groceries and rent are all at record high prices while wages are declining. I will continue to fight for policies that allow working families to keep more of their hard-earned money and promote economic growth. I voted for tax reform legislation, which gave an average tax cut of over $2,200 to southern Illinois families, and I want to extend those tax cuts even further. I will continue fighting to rein in government spending to curb inflation. Just as Americans must balance their own household budgets, Congress should be held to the same standards. Congress must make decisions that balance our federal budget in a reasonable, responsible way that leaves a country to our children and grandchildren better than the one we inherited.

What is your stance on the issue of abortion? I am unapologetically pro-life. I believe that life begins at conception and I have been fighting for pro-life principles my entire adult life. I am honored to be endorsed by National Right to Life and have a 100% voting record with the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America organization.

Describe the immigration policies you want the nation to follow. The United States is a nation of legal immigrants, not illegal aliens. We must first stop the invasion at our southern border by finishing the border wall, ending catch and release, and enforcing President Trump’s Remain in Mexico policy. After we secure the border, we must start deporting illegal aliens and work to end sanctuary states and cities. Illegal aliens must never be prioritized over law-abiding citizens.

What should the United States be doing regarding China? Right now, China is the biggest threat to America. They are stealing our jobs, technology and intellectual property. I have taken crucial steps in Congress to stand up to China and put America First. I introduced the Fighting Trade Cheats Act to hold China and other bad actors accountable for unfair trade practices that destroy American jobs. I voted to condemn China’s spying, and urged Joe Biden to hold them accountable for their cyber-attacks. I co-sponsored a bill to stop China from buying up our farmland. I voted to increase our military funding so that we have the resources necessary to remain the world’s leading superpower. However, the most important thing the United States needs right now is a strong leader at home to stand up to China. Under President Trump’s Administration, China never threatened to invade Taiwan and they were being held accountable for unleashing the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Joe Biden’s weak leadership, China is running roughshod. When President Trump wins in November, he will ensure we are not being taken advantage of and protect us from China’s actions.

Describe what you believe the United States should do regarding the war in Ukraine and the war in the Gaza Strip? War in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin has repeatedly violated international law and his invasion of Ukraine was unjustified. However, we cannot continue to send blank checks to Ukraine without proper accountability. I believe in fiercely defending America’s national security interests at home and abroad. We must stand firm against our adversaries’ aggression; but we must do so smartly, demanding transparency for every penny of taxpayer money. If, as the world’s leading superpower, we have to make future investments to protect our national security overseas, there must be accountability and a clear plan for how that money will be spent.

War in the Gaza Strip: Israel is our closest ally in the Middle East, and they have every right to defend themselves from the evils of terrorism. Israel does not want the United States to fight their war for them, but they do want support to ensure they have the resources needed to defend their people. I will continue to support whatever efforts are deemed necessary to help them defend themselves and I will never apologize for supporting Israel’s right to exist or forcefully defend itself against those who wish to see Israel wiped off the map.

Did not respond

Brian Roberts, the Democratic candidate in the 12th Congressional District, did not respond to the Belleville News-Democrat questionnaire.

13th Congressional District

NAME: NIKKI BUDZINSKI

Political party: Democratic

Age as of Nov. 5, 2024: 47

Office seeking: U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Campaign website or social media page: nikkiforcongress.com

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought.) U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, 2022

Occupation: U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District

Education: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, bachelor’s degree in history and political science

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I began my career in the labor movement where I fought for fair pay, safe working conditions and affordable health care for members of the International Association of Fire Fighters and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. Here in Illinois, I worked in Governor Pritzker’s administration where I led the fight to raise Illinois’ minimum wage to $15 an hour and chaired the Broadband Advisory Council to improve access to high-speed internet across the state. I also had the honor of working in the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, where I helped to establish the Made in America Office that’s helping to prioritize American manufacturing and American workers.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? I’m very proud of the strength and diversity of support for my re-election. My campaign has received more than 10,000 individual contributions this cycle through a grassroots-focused, people-powered campaign.

Why are you running? I’ve spent my entire career fighting for working people. I’m running for re-election to keep up my lifelong fight to level the playing field for families across central and southern Illinois who deserve a fair shot at the American dream. In my first term, I’ve worked across the aisle to bring down the high cost of living, create good-paying union jobs, protect Social Security and Medicare and support Illinois’ family farmers. In a second term, I’ll keep delivering results to help us rebuild our middle class and the communities we call home.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Too many Americans work hard every single day and still struggle to make ends meet. I’d say my top issue is creating more opportunity back home, which includes bringing down high everyday costs. As part of this effort, I’ve secured investments in American manufacturing at places like Belleville Boots to help bring our supply chains home. I’ve worked across the aisle to reinstate the Affordable Connectivity Program that helped thousands of my constituents access affordable high-speed internet. And I’ve worked to lower gas prices by leaning on higher blends of ethanol that bring down prices at the pump while also reducing our dependence on foreign oil and supporting family farmers right here in Illinois.

Why should people vote for you? I’m someone who’s focused on bringing people together to solve problems and deliver real results for the families and communities I represent. I’ve brought home $224 million for the MetroLink system, $21.2 million for roadway improvements in Edwardsville, and $18.1 million in military contracts for the Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company. I also secured a dedicated federal coordinator to address the Cahokia Heights flooding and sewage crisis. Additionally, I’m so proud to have delivered more than $136.1 million in Community Project Funding to invest in infrastructure, housing and workforce development. In a second term, I’ll continue to stay out of the noise and nonsense in Washington, D.C., and remain focused on serving you.

What will you do to improve the lives of residents in your district? The next session of Congress will be tasked with passing a new tax package – and I’ll make sure it puts working people first. That means tax relief for the middle class to help folks keep more of what they earn and permanently reinstating the monthly Child Tax Credit to help working parents with the high cost of child care. Here in the metro-east, I’ll continue my efforts to solve the flooding and sewage crisis in Cahokia Heights, maintain steel production at Granite City Works and bring home the federal resources we need to rebuild our infrastructure and improve our communities.

Explain the types of policies you support to improve the nation’s economy. We have an opportunity to tackle the economic challenges of the 21st century and create good-paying union jobs right here in central and southern Illinois along the way. In Congress, I lead bipartisan legislation and a Climate Jobs Task Force focused on bringing manufacturing jobs back home and building out our workforce with new opportunities that don’t require a four-year degree. I’ve also helped to create new jobs throughout our region with investments in our infrastructure and a $51 million grant to build a booming bio-based economy throughout central and southern Illinois through the iFAB tech hub. I’ll keep pushing for resources like these to unlock our area’s unique potential and grow our economy.

What is your stance on the issue of abortion? Uncle Sam has no place in our doctor’s office. Every woman deserves the right to make her own reproductive health care decisions without the involvement of her state legislature or the federal government. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade undermined the reproductive rights of millions of American women. I’ll continue fighting to restore every woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.

Describe the immigration policies you want the nation to follow. What’s happening at our southern border is a crisis. It’s been nearly four decades since we’ve seen comprehensive immigration reform in this country – it’s time to change that. We need bipartisan solutions to restore order and fix our broken immigration system. That’s why I worked across the aisle to pass funding to secure the border and combat the deadly fentanyl epidemic that’s ripping communities apart. I’ll keep fighting to pass a bipartisan immigration reform package that keeps our country safe.

What should the United States be doing regarding China? China is one of our nation’s greatest geopolitical threats and since my first week in Congress, I’ve been working to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for its policies that threaten our security and undermine American industry. I voted to end oil sales from our strategic reserve to China and helped to establish a Select Committee on China to generate bipartisan solutions to bolster our national security and maintain our economic advantage. I worked with Congressman Mike Bost to push back on the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to strengthen its grip on the means of American agricultural production and commerce by requesting a review of the Cahokia Grain Terminal’s sale to a Chinese company and I’ve helped to secure $18.1 million to ensure our military boots are made right here in Belleville - not in Beijing.

Describe what you believe the United States should do regarding the war in Ukraine and the war in the Gaza Strip? The United States should continue to support its allies around the world as they face tyranny and terror. I’ll always stand with Ukraine as they defend their homeland and their people from an unprovoked Russian invasion. In the Middle East, I’ll continue to advocate for a mutual ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that includes the release of all hostages and a path toward a two-state solution and long-term peace in the region. I’m heartbroken by the loss of Israeli and Palestinian civilians during this conflict, and I’ll continue to support humanitarian aid for those suffering in Gaza.

NAME: JOSHUA LOYD

Political party: Republican

Age as of Nov. 5, 2024: Did not answer

Office seeking: U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District

Are you an incumbent? No

Campaign website or social media page: loydforcongress.com

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought.) NA

Occupation: Former military

Education: West Point - Business management

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: 3x PVSA, Eagle Scout, Former military, Former state president for career & tech advocacy

Who are your top three campaign contributors? All private individuals: no corporations, organizations or outside groups.

Why are you running? I did not receive any help from Budzinski or her office when I was dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The longer I run, the more people come forward and tell me that she disregarded them and their concerns as well, whether that’s veterans, unions, state and local officials and numerous others.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? The economy is in shambles! Gas, food, and basic necessity prices are skyrocketing because of out-of-control government spending. Step one is to stop wasteful spending within the government. This includes end-of-the-year spending sprees, funding overlapping agency mission sets, auditing where tax dollars are spent, and stopping funds spent on illegal immigrants and the luxuries the government is currently providing them. U.S. tax dollars should not be funding the rest of the world nor wasted because of poor management.

Why should people vote for you? With a military background, a business management and advanced leadership education from West Point, and a proven history of community volunteer service well before this campaign, individuals can be confident that I have the knowledge and background that will help them, their families, and their communities thrive! This is where my heart and mind are focused, and it has been shown and proven over and over again. If you have any questions, please reach out!

What will you do to improve the lives of residents in your district? I am adamant that the government stops wasting your hard-earned money and provides the services and amenities that they have been entrusted to do. We need and must focus on our communities and stop giving our resources to nations that hate us, on projects that enrich our officials, and reduce the cost of groceries, fuel and healthcare.

Explain the types of policies you support to improve the nation’s economy. We must cut the fat from our government. This means we must stop spending money on issues that have minimal impact, agencies that consume resources and fail to meet demands, and audit agencies to ensure they are not spending money or resources on initiatives that have a kick-back for their officials. Next, we must open our energy market to allow for economic growth.

What is your stance on the issue of abortion? Pro-life with an exception if the life of the woman is in jeopardy.

Describe the immigration policies you want the nation to follow. The U.S. must close the border (North, South, East, and West), deport all unauthorized migrants, not those who are here legally and with authorization from the U.S. Government, and bar the illegal entrant from reentry under any circumstance (DACA excluded). We must also allow for DACA to have a path for reentry and possible citizenship but they must first wait in their country of origin while the government processes their files. Further, we need to restructure the entire immigration process to be less confusing and convoluted, while speeding up the application process for possible migrants; allowing for an increase in temporary work permits, education permits and other workforce and development initiatives. It comes down to ensuring that those who come to our country are here with permission and are following our laws. We are a country with rules and regulations that all must follow.

What should the United States be doing regarding China? China is our largest adversary in nearly every domain: economics, military and diplomacy. China has also stated within its 2049 plan to be the world’s most dominant superpower, including over the U.S., by the year 2049. We must take decisive action to ensure that we continue to support our allies in Asia as the threat of China and their Belt and Road initiative, their nine-dash line mandate, and their continued theft of U.S. intellectual property become ever more apparent. We must also take maneuvers to prevent the Chinese state and state-owned organizations from buying land in large quantities near critical U.S. infrastructure.

Describe what you believe the United States should do regarding the war in Ukraine and the war in the Gaza Strip? We must help stop the wars as soon as possible. We must start having hard conversations with world leaders on how to stop the wars and prevent millions more lives from being lost.

13th Congressional District - write-in candidate

NAME: CHIBU ASONYE

Political party: Green

Age as of Nov. 5, 2024: 28

Office seeking: U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District

Are you an incumbent? No

Campaign website or social media page: chibuforcongress.nationbuilder.com

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought.) No

Occupation: Educator and political community activist

Education: University of Illinois, Class of 2018, University of Mississippi, Class of 2021

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Elections officer in 2022, lead a Rank Choice Voting Township Initiative for 2024, Urbana Ceasefire Resolution advocate, regular attendee of the Springfield, Urbana, Belleville and Champaign City Council meetings, and attendee of community public safety and rent forums.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Justin Beth (Individual contributor) Ariel Cipitin (In-kind contributor), myself, and Roseline Akomas (Individual contributor)

Why are you running? I am running for federal public office because I am focused on acting on behalf of others. I want to achieve the societal aspirations of older generations: clean drinking water for all, Medicare for all, and access to high-quality public education while shifting away from unchecked military spending.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Promote military restraint and diplomacy by decreasing U.S. military funding, contingent military spending on the passing their mandatory audit.

Why should people vote for you? If you no longer want to vote based on fear, vote from me to build a reality where you can vote unburdened. If you wish to be an America-focused inward, vote for me to spend your taxes on you for your benefit, not corporate interest. If you want a future for your children, friends, family and fellow man, vote for me to achieve results and move beyond empty, broken promises. A vote for Chibu begets a pro-peace, pro-people, and pro-planet federal government accountable to the Illinois people.

What will you do to improve the lives of residents in your district? Provide relief to our residents’ pocketbooks and savings accounts, within the first 100 days in Congress, I will pivot domestic focus of federal grant dollars to small grants for IL-13 municipalities. In addition, freeze and lower taxes of working-class wage earners, achieve student loan forgiveness, institute an immediate pay raise to all public-school teachers, end education funding from property taxes, and reinstitute the federal Child Tax Credit.

Explain the types of policies you support to improve the nation’s economy. My policy focus is on ending large private corporations buying single family homes to relieve the housing market. Target price gouging within big businesses to lower inflation. Provide student loan forgiveness to relieve the load of working-class wage earners.

What is your stance on the issue of abortion? I am firmly pro-choice; people have an inalienable ownership of their bodily autonomy. I support the codification of Roe v. Wade and believe in ensuring all forms of medical access are available to all populations of Illinois.

Describe the immigration policies you want the nation to follow. The United States immigration is incomprehensible, inconsistent and difficult to navigate. The United States also increased immigration by destabilizing and intervening in other countries with sanctions decimating local economies. First, change U.S. foreign policy to end the sanctions across the board. Second, shift domestic focus to staffing the judicial system to properly adjudicate immigration requests. In tandem with immigration policy changes, I advocate for all benefits provided to immigrants to be equally provided to the domestic population.

What should the United States be doing regarding China? The United States needs to de-escalate with China. Currently, the U.S. Navy is preparing for a war with China over a possible Taiwan invasion in 2027. The U.S. should de-escalate with China because working-class Illinois relies on the cheap importing of goods from China and fast fashion clothing. Sanctions and an additional military proxy war will raise prices in all industries in Illinois, as it did during the 2021 COVID-19 pandemic. Lastly, China owns a large percentage of the American national debt, inevitably harming the American economy; they will sell off the debt or demand expedited repayment. This will lead to another recession.

Describe what you believe the United States should do regarding the war in Ukraine and the war in the Gaza Strip? The United States should not stand in the way of international consensus. We must use all levers of influence to secure a total and immediate ceasefire, free all Hamas hostages and Palestinian political prisoners under administrative detention and begin the day after for Gaza by lifting the “complete and total” siege. In addition, the U.S. must acquiesce to international and United Nations law by pausing all military weaponry to the country of Israel and ensuring the following compliance of the Leahy Law.

In regards to war in Ukraine, in the beginning months of the war, United States officials sabotaged the peace process by dangling the possibility of Ukraine entering NATO to achieve a proxy war with Russia. The stated aims of the U.S. must change from weakening Russian military capacity to preserving Ukrainian lives.

This story was originally published September 26, 2024 at 4:03 AM.