Early Endorsements for the March 17, 2026 Primary Election
- kskoirchet
- 3 hours ago
- 7 min read
*The below endorsements were approved at the November 2025 House of Representatives Meeting
US Congress:
US Congress 2nd: Robert Peters
US Congress 7th: La Shawn Ford
US Congress 9th: Mike Simmons
State Office:
IL Comptroller: Karina Villa
Illinois Senate:
IL Senate 10th: Robert Martwick
IL Senate 20th: Graciela Guzman
IL Senate 26th: Nabeela Syed
IL Senate 27th: Carina Santa Maria
IL Senate 33rd: Michele Clark
Illinois House:
IL House 1st: Aaron Ortiz
IL House 4th: Lilian Jiménez
IL House 8th: Shantel Franklin
IL House 16th: Kevin Olickal
IL House 21st: Abdelnasser Rashid
IL House 40th: Miguel Alvelo Rivera
IL House 77th: Norma Hernandez
Cook County Board
1st District Tara Stamps
6th District: Patricia Joan Murphy
Cook County Water Reclamation District:
Beth McElroy Kirkwood
Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda
Precious Brady-Davis
Cameron “Cam” Davis (2 year seat)
Democratic Township Committee Person
Orland Township: Beth McElroy Kirkwood
Thornton Township: Napoleon Harris
Wheeling Township: Mary Beth Canty
Worth Township: Patricia Joan Murphy
Candidate Bios:
US Congress 2nd: Robert Peters
Robert Peters is a lifelong Chicagoan and Illinois State Senator who’s built a reputation as a strong progressive voice for education, community colleges, and working families. He has led on major issues like ending cash bail, raising the minimum wage, expanding union apprenticeships, and investing in affordable housing and higher education. Shaped by his South Side upbringing, early childhood deafness, and years as a community organizer, Peters is committed to advancing justice, opportunity, and community reinvestment.
US Congress 7th: La Shawn Ford
State Representative La Shawn K. Ford has served Illinois’ 8th District since 2007, championing social justice, education equity, economic opportunity, and carrying key legislation for Local 1600 that has directly supported our members and students. From his roots on Chicago’s West Side to his leadership in Springfield, Ford has proven he can turn our shared values into action—and we are excited to see him bring that same commitment and experience to Washington.
US Congress 9th: Mike Simmons
State Senator Mike Simmons is a lifelong Chicagoan and barrier-breaking public servant who has made inclusive economic growth, equity, and education central to his work, passing nearly 50 bills into law while championing working families. A close partner to Local 1600 and a fierce community college advocate, Simmons sees community colleges as the backbone of workforce development and continues to fight for affordable education, housing, public transit, and green jobs so every Illinoisan can thrive.
IL Comptroller: Karina Villa
State Senator Karina Villa is a lifelong West Chicago resident, former school social worker, and proven champion for education, workers, small businesses, and mental health. A strong ally of Local 1600 who carried our legislation mandating licensed counselors in Illinois community colleges, she cares deeply about our colleges and students and consistently brings empathy, equity, and a student-centered perspective to her work in Springfield.
IL Senate 10th: Robert Martwick
Senator Robert “Rob” Martwick represents Illinois’ 10th Legislative District and has been a long-term partner of Local 1600, consistently standing up for community colleges, working families, and fair taxation. As chief sponsor of our landmark legislation to establish an elected board of trustees for the City Colleges of Chicago, Martwick is leading the fight for accountability, shared governance, and stronger partnerships between faculty, staff, students, and the public.
IL Senate 20th: Graciela Guzman
Senator Graciela Guzmán, a longtime partner of labor and former campaign director for the groundbreaking Healthy Illinois initiative, now represents the 20th District after a 2024 election in which Local 1600 was instrumental to her victory. Since taking office, she has been a strong voice for community colleges and is the chief sponsor of Local 1600’s academic freedom legislation, standing with faculty, staff, and students to protect higher education and democratic values in Illinois.
IL Senate 26th: Nabeela Syed
Representative Nabeela Syed is a lifelong northwest suburban resident, community organizer, and one of the youngest members ever elected to the Illinois General Assembly, where she has focused on lowering costs for working families, expanding healthcare access, and strengthening government transparency. In her first term, she passed legislation prohibiting price gouging on generic prescription drugs, supported protections for reproductive healthcare and mental health access, and continues to champion inclusive, forward-looking policies that help Illinois families thrive.
IL Senate 27th: Carina Santa Maria
Carina Santa Maria is a licensed clinical social worker, first-generation American, and Executive Director of Shelter, Inc., as well as an Arlington Heights Village Trustee, now running for the Illinois State Senate in District 27. She has expanded Shelter, Inc.’s operations statewide, led reforms in child welfare and trauma-informed care, and champions child welfare, affordable housing, and accountable, community-centered government.
IL Senate 33rd: Michele Clark
Michele Clark is a nonprofit leader, small business owner, and lifelong northwest suburban resident running for the Illinois House in the 52nd District, drawing on roots in Kildeer and a family tradition of small business and advocacy for women’s education. She has owned and operated a large early childhood learning center, led the Boys & Girls Club of Dundee Township through the COVID-19 pandemic, and now serves as Director of Development for the D300 Food Pantry, where she continues her commitment to education, women’s rights, and community-based solutions.
IL House 1st: Aaron Ortiz
Aaron Ortiz is a Democratic lawmaker representing Illinois House District 1 and Assistant Majority Leader in the House, a former teacher and college counselor at Back of the Yards High School, and a proud member of the Chicago Teachers Union. Born and raised in Chicago to immigrants from Durango, Mexico, he brings his background in urban planning and community leadership to his work advocating for equity, education, and immigrant rights.
IL House 4th: Lilian Jiménez
IL House 16th: Kevin Olical
Illinois State Representative Kevin John Olickal serves the 16th District—one of the most diverse in Illinois—bringing a lifelong commitment to inclusive, community-centered leadership shaped by his upbringing in Skokie as the son of immigrant parents. A graduate of The Ohio State University and Loyola University Chicago School of Law, he draws on years of experience in organizing, nonprofit, political, and government work to advance legislation that expands opportunity and ensures every resident is seen, heard, and represented in Springfield.
IL House 21st: Abdelnasser Rashid
Representative Abdelnasser Rashid serves Illinois’ 21st House District, bringing deep policy experience and a strong commitment to working families, public education, and fair, forward-looking technology governance. A close ally of our community colleges, Rep. Rashid carried Local 1600’s language in HB 1859 to protect faculty from Artificial Intelligence by ensuring that only human instructors—not AI systems—can award college credit in Illinois community colleges.
IL House 40th: Miguel Alvelo Rivera
Miguel Alvelo Rivera is a community organizer, executive director of the Latino Union of Chicago, and son of Puerto Rican immigrants who has spent a decade fighting for day laborers, domestic workers, undocumented residents, and tenants through campaigns against wage theft, for city ID cards, and for stronger labor protections. A progressive challenger in the 40th District Democratic primary, he centers workers’ rights and affordable housing—and is proudly supported by Local 1600’s closest allies, including Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, State Senator Graciela Guzmán, and Chicago Alder Rossana Rodríguez-Sánchez.
IL House 77th: Norma Hernandez
Representative Norma Hernandez is a third-generation Melrose Park resident, daughter of Mexican immigrants, and former Triton College Trustee who brings the lived experience of working-class families and a deep commitment to community-driven solutions to her work in the Illinois House. One of Local 1600’s closest allies, she carried our mental health legislation mandating licensed counselors in community colleges and consistently champions quality education, student support, and policies that put everyday families first.
Cook County Board 1st District: Tara Stamps
Commissioner Tara Stamps is a lifelong educator, organizer, and daughter of civil rights icon Marion Stamps, grounded in the struggles and strength of Cabrini-Green and dedicated to advancing equity, justice, and dignity for working-class communities. A proud Chicago Teachers Union member and representative on the Illinois Federation of Teachers Executive Board, she has spent decades fighting school closures, privatization, and racist policing while championing students, public education, and transformative change.
Cook County Board 6th District: Patricia Joan Murphy Worth Township Democratic Township Committee Person: Patricia Joan Murphy
Trish Murphy is a lifelong Worth Township resident, community leader, and businesswoman who serves as Worth Township Supervisor, Democratic Committeeperson, and a trustee at Moraine Valley Community College, where she also leads statewide as President of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association. A strong voice for community colleges and working families, Trish has been a reliable, collaborative partner for our members—expanding services, championing affordable, high-quality education, and consistently showing up for Moraine Valley’s students and staff.
Cook County Water Reclamation District: Beth McElroy Kirkwood & Orland Township Democratic Township Committee Person: Beth McElroy Kirkwood
Beth McElroy Kirkwood is a lifelong Orland Park resident, educator, and public servant who serves as Chair of the Moraine Valley Community College Board of Trustees and as a Commissioner on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. A strong advocate for education, equity, and environmental stewardship, she has been a reliable and collaborative partner for our members—helping to ensure Moraine Valley remains a well-resourced, student-centered college that supports both learning and good jobs.
Cook County Water Reclamation District: Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda
Commissioner Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda is a longtime public servant and proud daughter of working-class Mexican immigrants who rose from serving three terms as Hanover Park Village Clerk to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, where she champions environmental justice, transparency, and equity. As Chair of the Monitoring & Research and Municipalities Committees and Vice Chair of key committees on Ethics, Labor, and Public Health, she leads efforts to protect water quality, expand green infrastructure, and ensure that investments reach the communities most impacted by flooding and environmental inequity.
Cook County Water Reclamation District: Precious Brady-Davis
Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis is a groundbreaking leader, award-winning social justice advocate, and environmental champion on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago—making history as the first Black openly transgender woman appointed and elected to public office in Cook County and the first to serve on a water reclamation district in the nation. A longtime Chicago resident with over 15 years of experience at organizations like the Center on Halsted and the Sierra Club, she is deeply committed to protecting Lake Michigan, preventing urban flooding, and advancing climate resilience and environmental justice for all Cook County residents.
Thornton Township Democratic Township Committee Person: Napoleon Harris
Senator Napoleon B. Harris III represents Illinois’ 15th District, drawing on his roots in Dixmoor, academic success at Northwestern University and Kellogg, and his background as a former NFL linebacker to champion public safety, health equity, and educational opportunity. In the General Assembly, he has led efforts to reduce harsh school discipline, expand telehealth in disadvantaged communities, and authored Illinois’ law allowing student-athletes to earn compensation for their name, image, and likeness.
Wheeling Township Democratic Township Committee Person: Mary Beth Canty
Representative Mary Beth Canty is an attorney and former Arlington Heights Village Trustee who was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 2022, representing the 54th District that includes Arlington Heights, Palatine, Prospect Heights, and surrounding communities. A strong supporter of small businesses, public education, and social justice, she has helped pass legislation establishing full-day kindergarten, improving wage transparency by requiring pay ranges in job postings, and creating a grocery initiative to support independent grocers in food deserts.