Paul Schimpf, candidate for Illinois governor

Name: Paul Schimpf

Political party (if applicable): Republican

Age as of June 28, 2022: 51

Campaign website or social media page: schimpf4illinois.com

Office seeking: Governor

Are you an incumbent?: No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought): Illinois Attorney General, Illinois State Senate

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Bachelor of Science, Juris Doctorate, Master of Laws

Please list highlights of your civic involvement.

I spent 24 years on active duty in the United States military, retiring from the United States Marine Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2013. I have also served my community as a youth soccer coach and an active member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Parish in Waterloo.

Who are your top three campaign contributors?

My campaign committee is called Citizens for Schimpf. All financial disclosure information is available through the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Why are you running?

Illinois needs commonsense conservative leadership we can trust.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it?

Our New Start for Illinois policy agenda contains six pillars that are built around parents’ rights, safe families, and restoring trust in government. We cannot have safe families and communities without the sacrifices of our law enforcement heroes and I will support them unequivocally.

Why should people vote for you over another candidate?

First, I have a conservative legislative record. I voted against every tax increase that ever crossed my desk and I have never introduced legislation to give the Illinois government new taxing powers. I voted 100% pro-life and voted for local control of education. Second, I am the only candidate who has won a major election against a Democrat, defeating Sheila Simon for the Illinois Senate. Lastly, I am the only candidate who can unify the Illinois Republican Party — both the grassroots conservatives and the suburban moderates. Unless the Republican Party is unified, we have no chance against J.B. Pritzker.

What specific policies would you pursue to help Illinoisans recover economically from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and deal with inflation?

Our New Start for Illinois policy agenda will limit the ability of administrative agencies to destroy businesses through emergency rule making. We also propose eliminating the predatory practice of charging tax on tax which will immediately provide economic relief.

Republican candidates typically support reducing spending in Illinois. If you support reduced spending, how would you achieve it? Please be specific. If you would cut services, what services would you cut?

I would hold spending steady across the board and reduce the funding associated with environmental virtue signaling and subsidizing politically connected energy producers.

How would you achieve your policy goals if Democrats have a majority in the General Assembly? Would you work across the aisle? If so, how? If not, why not?

As Illinois Governor, I will rein in the administrative agencies that are choking the life out of small business and infringing upon our fundamental freedoms. I understand that successful government requires practicing incrementalism and building consensus. I demonstrated my ability to work across aisle during the 2018 Higher Education Working Group that made significant improvements to our state’s ability to retain its best college students.

If you support doing so, what topics would you ban or limit in public education curricula and at what ages? How would you specifically go about doing that?

School boards set curriculum and parents hold school boards accountable.

Who did you vote for in the 2020 presidential election and why?

I voted for President Donald Trump.

If you could set an abortion policy for Illinois, what would it prohibit or allow? Please be specific about instances where abortion would be allowed, i.e., in case the mother’s health is in jeopardy; rape/incest; etc.

The Illinois Governor does not appoint judges or introduce legislation. Currently, Illinois abortion law is extreme in providing taxpayer funding for abortion up until the moment of live birth. As Governor, I will sign legislation that moves us closer to the mainstream.

What policies would you pursue to provide resources, if any, to parents who would struggle to care for a child?

Our social safety net that provides childcare to parents in need of assistance should be maintained.

This story was originally published June 23, 2022 at 11:59 AM.