Regan Deering, Republican candidate for 13th Congressional District in Illinois
READ MORE
More on Republican candidates for the 13th Congressional District in Illinois
Expand All
Regan Deering, Republican candidate for 13th Congressional District in Illinois
Matt Hausman, Republican candidate for 13th Congressional District in Illinois
Terry Martin, Republican candidate for 13th Congressional District in Illinois
Jesse Reising, Republican candidate for 13th Congressional District in Illinois
Name: Regan Deering
Political party: Republican
Age as of June 28, 2022: 46
Campaign website or social media page: www.regan4congress.com (also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
Office seeking: Republican nominee for U.S. representative, 13th Congressional District of Illinois
Are you an incumbent? No
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No
Occupation: Community advocate and philanthropist
Education: Bachelor of science in biology from Duke University and master of arts from DePaul University
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I am an active member of my community as a volunteer for multiple civic organizations. I served as capital campaign chair for the Northeast Community Fund, a social service organization whose mission is to serve low-income families. The campaign raised more $3 million to build a new 17,000-square-foot facility in the heart of a newly established Community Care Campus, which opened in the fall of 2019. I continue to be actively engaged with the organization and now serve as board president. From 2018 to 2021, I was board chair for the Decatur Public Schools Foundation, leading an organization that gives more than $1 million to teachers and schools for the advancement of opportunities for students across the district. For the past seven years, through Pawprint Ministries, a local nonprofit serving communities with warmth, compassion and the hope of Jesus, I have worked as a therapy dog handler with my golden retriever J.J. Our team visits nursing homes, hospitals, childcare facilities and schools and has been deployed to crisis situations.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Campaign contributions are publicly available through the Federal Elections Commission.
Why are you running? It’s time to return to a government that is accountable to “We the People” and serves taxpayers who pay the bills, not a bloated and unresponsive bureaucracy that serves itself. I was born and raised in central Illinois, and I stand first and foremost for the rule of law and preserving the U.S. Constitution. We should all expect our elected leaders to work for their constituents and represent the morals, values and unique concerns of their district, and that is why I am running for Congress.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Too many Americans, myself included, are tired of government overreach, excessive spending and lack of accountability. It is time we empower our workforce with opportunities and resources to provide more for our community and their families without government reliance. Small business owners are the backbone of this economy, and they are being told every day by the government how to run their businesses. Government should get out of the way of the American people to allow for the entrepreneurial spirit that we know exists in every American to shine through. While in Congress, I will work every day to make sure small businesses can keep more of their hard-earned money and are allowed to grow and innovate. At the same time, we must elevate non-traditional secondary pathways. Partnerships among stakeholders are creating incredible opportunities for students to learn a trade and contribute to our economy. Trades are rebuilding our country, and we need to focus on the next generation of skilled workers with supportive legislation and funding. Reckless spending by our elected officials is out of touch with American interests. In Congress, I will be a check and balance on legislation and spending. I intend to look out for the best interest of the American taxpayer.
Why should people vote for you? I am not a career politician. I have built a career that puts a priority on high-quality education for all, investment and caring for our community and giving back to others by serving. I am a taxpayer, homeowner, wife, mother, educator, small business owner and community advocate. My husband and I care deeply about the future of our three children and recognize that our country is at a critical point. We need a common-sense government that honors individual freedoms and the ability to create a life full of opportunity for all.
This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 9:45 AM with the headline "Regan Deering, Republican candidate for 13th Congressional District in Illinois."