The state of Illinois’ 3rd Congressional district is one of the few where there isn’t an incumbent running in this cycle, and as a result the Democratic field has several contenders hoping to represent the newly-designed district.
The 3rd district, which includes part of Chicago’s South Side as well as portions of suburban Cook and DuPage counties, was redrawn after the 2020 Census, meaning that there is no incumbent in the race. Rep. Marie Newman will instead run in the 6th district against incumbent Rep. Sean Casten in the Democratic primary.
The district will have four Democrats running in the June primary, while Republican Justin Burau will run unopposed.
Here are the candidates running for Congress in the district:
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Democrats –
Juan Aguirre
Aguirre, a registered nurse who holds a bachelor’s degree in the field, says on his campaign website that he is running against “corruption in government.” He has proposed bills to enact social equity in the cannabis industry, as well as legislation to honor and support health care workers along with his anti-corruption proposals.
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Iymen Chehade
A college professor and artist, Chehade is running on a platform to increase federal funding for public education, implementing Medicare for All, and to offer property tax relief for homeowners. He is also seeking to provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, according to her website.
State Rep. Delia Ramirez
Ramirez has served in leadership positions for numerous activism organizations, including the Latin United Community Housing Association, and was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 2018. She is running on a platform of increasing access to affordable housing, expanding access to health care, and pushing for more funding for public education, according to her website.
Gilbert Villegas
A Chicago alderperson, Villegas says he will push to invest in the technology sector to encourage job growth in the United States. He has also called for additional investments in both local and federal law enforcement to help curb increases in crime, and he is proposing expanding tax credits for parents and to mandate family and medical leave at the federal level.
Republicans –
Justin Burau
A businessman with experience in starting several small businesses, Burau is campaigning on a platform to expand health care access by allowing companies to compete across state lines, as well as a policy that would encourage legal immigration to the United States by simplifying laws and making applications more affordable, among other issues.
