BND 2026 Voter Guide: State House 113th District Democratic primary
Welcome to the Belleville News-Democrat’s Voter Guide for the State House of Representatives 113th District Democrat primary that features Rep. Jay Hoffman and write-in candidate Jamil Mckinney in the district that includes parts of Belleville, Swansea, Washington Park, Shiloh and Venice.
The News-Democrat has contacted candidates running in contested races in the March 17 Illinois primary and asked them to complete a candidate questionnaire.
While this article has information about the Democratic primary for the State House 109th District, you can go to this page at bnd.com to get links to read about other candidates running in the primary.
Below, see the responses from Hoffman and Mckinney. They are running to be the Democratic nominee in the Nov. 3 election. (Candidates are listed alphabetically.)
NAME: JAY HOFFMAN
Age as of March 17, 2026: 64
Campaign website or social media page: JayHoffman.com or Facebook.com/RepJayHoffman
Office seeking: State Representative, 113th District
Are you an incumbent? Yes
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) State Representative, January 1991-January 1997; October 1997-January 2011; January 2013 – Present
Occupation: Attorney
Education: B.S., Finance, Illinois State University; J.D., St. Louis University School of Law
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: As state representative, I am proud of the work accomplished in Springfield that directly helps working men and women in the 113th District. As the lead House negotiator, I recently passed an energy package that provides relief for consumers, creates jobs and strengthens Illinois’ electric grid. Over the years, I’ve also supported legislation that protects consumers from unfair utility practices, strengthens protections for workers injured on the job, and ensures working families are not left behind. In addition, I’ve helped bring tens of millions of dollars in capital funding back to the 113th District, supporting new infrastructure and investments in the Metro East.
Who are your top three campaign contributors? I am proud to have built a strong coalition of support for my campaign, including organized labor, members of the business community and individuals who feel I am the best choice as State Representative.
How much money have you raised for your campaign? My campaign has the financial resources to communicate with voters and engage them on the issues that matter most to them.
Why are you running? I’m running because I care about the communities and citizens I serve and want to make our region a better place for people to live and work. I believe public service is about delivering results that make a difference in people’s daily lives.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Illinois has improved its financing footing, including its 10th credit rating upgrade last October. We must continue to keep our state on the pathway to financial stability and in the process, make sure that these improvements are felt by working families by making investments in infrastructure, public safety, education and healthcare.
Why should people vote for you? I have a proven record of getting things done in Springfield. I understand how policy becomes law, how budgets work, and how to ensure our district’s priorities are included in negotiations and reflected in final legislation.
Did you use AI to write your responses to these questions? No
NAME: JAMIL MCKINNEY
Age as of March 17, 2026: 22
Campaign website or social media page: jamilforstaterep.com
Office seeking: State representative
Are you an incumbent? No
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Yes. I ran for state representative as a write-in candidate in 2024 as well.
Occupation: School bus driver
Education: Southwestern Illinois College - AA, AS
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Fed several thousand people at the Salvation Army Corps Community Center in Belleville.
Organized and hosted community events including, but not limited to, a fundraiser, a community meal, and a Black Leadership Seminar.
Participated in widespread food distribution in Belleville, East St. Louis, Cahokia Heights, St. Louis and other areas within the Metro East.
Scoured the Metro East for nonprofits and social services to catalog and provide to Metro East residents.
Provided the information of various nonprofits to residents in need (linking need to specific functions of the institutions).
Is an active member of Belle Clair Rotary, the East St. Louis NAACP, and the Venice Area and SMART (Swansea Mutual Aid Resource Treasury) Boards, as well as the current president of O’Fallon Toastmasters.
Have supported and bolstered the efforts of churches and local businesses hosting food giveaways, charity bingo and trivia nights, clothing drives, educational seminars, and child enrichment programs.
Have taken independent clients and guided them personally through local programs and community efforts to better their prospects for the future (successful examples include homeless veterans, struggling mothers, and even clients on the verge of eviction.)
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Me, Myself, and I
How much money have you raised for your campaign? 0$ - Despite my propensity for giving, I am averse to requesting money from others unless absolutely necessary; therefore, I do not.
Why are you running? I am running because Illinois is the 6th most populous state in the nation, as well as that with the 5th highest GDP. We have a massive education and technology hub in the north, immense natural talent in the south, and rare minerals and resources in our central area that can nary be found anywhere else, but we are faced with inane, surface level issues such as lack of access to healthcare and housing, restrictive voter registration laws, educational disparities, job market struggles, and a malicious federal government that is actively attacking us at all flanks. We could alleviate the vast majority of our biggest problems in mere weeks if our leadership was focused.
My statements may seem idealistic, but history proves they are completely realistic. Illinois is the epitome of the common man’s gripe with the United States: we have an unbelievable amount of money, talent and manpower, but lack a leadership competent enough to allocate funds or initiate programs designed to maximize our people’s productivity and quality of life. New York is spades richer than us but is ranked 3rd in fiscal stability, while Illinois is ranked 50th. Texas has the 2nd best economy, but we’re sitting at 42nd. We could easily have New Jersey’s education quality, Hawaii’s healthcare access, and Utah’s upward mobility with some focus and cohesion by our legislature. The blueprints have literally been written for us. The only thing left is to reshape them to accommodate the fundamental differences between Illinois and the states they come from. We don’t even have to limit ourselves to domestic examples; Taiwan’s healthcare system is the greatest on the planet, and it’s only one of many proven ways to nix the burdens of the average American. All we need is a bit of initiative, which isn’t much to ask.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? My greatest obstacle is naturally my exposure. As you can imagine, my student status keeps my schedule quite packed, and I don’t have the funds one would expect in a state level race; consequently, the vast majority of people don’t know who I am or what I stand for.
Even so, I shall persevere. Whether I’m aiding in a large-scale initiative that feeds the soul of an entire city or simply feeding one hungry person in a day, I will keep moving forward. I do not fear failure, but what happens when I stop moving forward. Therefore, I shall address my issue simply by going out and letting people see my face as often as possible. I am responsible for my own success.
Why should people vote for you? People should vote for me because I aim to set the standard for what a civil servant should be. My hyper-specific plans that cover every major issue from auto emissions and child hunger to behavioral health support and library access will show people that it’s not difficult to be a benevolent and productive leader. Since I’m always on the move, I can work hand-in-hand with my community members to create a brighter tomorrow for everyone in the Metro East, focusing on each major issue briskly and thoroughly, but giving time for those broader issues that require such (especially the high property taxes, political corruption and the horrid pension debacle that continues to sink our economic standing).
Did you use AI to write your responses to these questions? I did not. If I were a journalist, I would find such actions offensive; therefore, one should never expect me to.
This story was originally published March 3, 2026 at 2:00 AM.