CHICAGO—The Equality Illinois PAC is proud to endorse Secretary of State Jesse White, State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, and State Treasurer Mike Frerichs for re-election and a bipartisan group of 102 pro-equality candidates who are seeking elected office at all levels of state and local government in the general election on November 6, the state's LGBTQ political action committee announced Friday. The Equality Illinois PAC is dedicated to defending and securing the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer ( LGBTQ ) Illinoisans.
"We are proud to endorse a determined and dedicated slate of over 100 pro-equality candidates from across the state and in all corners of government," said John Litchfield, Chair of the Equality Illinois PAC. "While we have accomplished so much here in Illinois, we know our work continues in order to defend and secure equality for LGBTQ Illinoisans. At a time when our rights are under attack across the country and by the Trump Administration and his allies in Washington, these endorsed candidates are committed to ensuring that we build a better Illinois and advance justice for LGBTQ Illinoisans. In particular, Secretary White, Comptroller Mendoza, and Treasurer Frerichs have been statewide champions for the inclusion and equality of LGBTQ people. We thank them for their long records of support for and contributions to our communities."
Among the Equality Illinois PAC's endorsements are a record eleven LGBTQ-identified individuals for election to public office, including six at the local level: Debra Shore and Marcelino Garcia for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, Dustin Heuerman for Champaign County Sheriff, Chris Miller for Madison County Treasurer, Kevin B. Morrison for the Cook County Board, and Rob Reneau for the Peoria County Board.
"Representation matters. We know LGBTQ people serving in public office can share our stories as a community with their colleagues and contribute to policy initiatives that affirm our lives, families, and communities," said Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois. "We are excited to endorse these eleven LGBTQ individuals who are running for offices across Illinois. We especially thank incumbent LGBTQ-identified State Reps. Kelly Cassidy, Greg Harris, and Sam Yingling for their excellent leadership in the General Assembly and look forward to Lamont Robinson and Maggie Trevor joining their ranks next year."
On Wednesday, the Equality Illinois PAC announced its endorsement of JB Pritzker for Governor, State Rep. Juliana Stratton for Lieutenant Governor, and State Sen. Kwame Raoul for Attorney General.
The Equality Illinois PAC is a distinct entity, with a separate board of directors, from the Equality Illinois Institute and Equality Illinois. Endorsements are based on a candidate's record in office and responses submitted on the Equality Illinois PAC's candidate survey. Voters can learn more about the Equality Illinois PAC and our endorsements at www.eqilpac.org .
2018 General Election Endorsements by the Equality Illinois PAC
Governor
JB Pritzker
Lieutenant Governor
Juliana Stratton
Attorney General
Kwame Raoul
Secretary of State
Jesse White
State Comptroller
Susana Mendoza
State Treasurer
Michael Frerichs
Illinois House of Representatives ( district number — city of residence )
Aaron Ortiz ( 1 — Chicago )
Theresa Mah ( 2 — Chicago )
Delia Ramirez ( 4 — Chicago )
Lamont Robinson ( 5 — Chicago )
Sonya Harper ( 6 — Chicago )
Emanuel Chris Welch ( 7 — Hillside )
Ann Williams ( 11 — Chicago )
Sara Feigenholtz ( 12 — Chicago )
Greg Harris ( 13 — Chicago )
Kelly Cassidy ( 14 — Chicago )
John D'Amico ( 15 — Chicago )
Lou Lang ( 16 — Skokie )
Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz ( 17 — Glenview )
Robyn Gabel ( 18 — Evanston )
Robert Martwick ( 19 — Chicago )
Celina Villaneuva ( 21 — Chicago )
Michael J. Madigan ( 22 — Chicago )
Elizabeth Hernandez ( 24 — Cicero )
Curtis Tarver ( 25 — Chicago )
Christian Mitchell ( 26 — Chicago )
Justin Slaughter ( 27 — Chicago )
Thaddeus Jones ( 29 — Calumet City )
Will Davis ( 30 — Homewood )
Kelly Burke ( 36 — Evergreen Park )
Mathew Hunt ( 37 — Frankfort )
Will Guzzardi ( 39 — Chicago )
Jaime Andrade ( 40 — Chicago )
Val Montgomery ( 41 — Naperville )
Kathleen Carrier ( 42 — Carol Stream )
Anna Moeller ( 43 — Elgin )
Fred Crespo ( 44 — Hoffman Estates )
Diane Pappas ( 45 — Itasca )
Deb Conroy ( 46 — Villa Park )
James Caffrey ( 47 — Elmhurst )
Terra Costa Howard ( 48 — Glen Ellyn )
Karina Villa ( 49 — West Chicago )
James Leslie ( 50 — Aurora )
Mary Edly-Allen ( 51 — Libertyville )
Mark Walker ( 53 — Arlington Heights )
Maggie Trevor ( 54 — Rolling Meadows )
Marty Moylan ( 55 — Des Plaines )
Michelle Mussman ( 56 — Schaumburg )
Jonathan Carroll ( 57 — Northbrook )
Bob Morgan ( 58 — Deerfield )
Daniel Didech ( 59 — Buffalo Grove )
Joyce Mason ( 61 — Gurnee )
Sam Yingling ( 62 — Grayslake )
Trisha Zubert ( 64 — Volo )
Richard Johnson ( 65 — Elgin )
Maurice A. West II ( 67 — Rockford )
Jake Castanza ( 68 — Rockford )
Paul Stoddard ( 70 — DeKalb )
Joan Padilla ( 71 — Sterling )
Mike Halpin ( 72 — Rock Island )
Kathleen Willis ( 77 — Addison )
Linda Chapa LaVia ( 83 — Aurora )
Stephanie Kifowit ( 84 — Aurora )
John Connor ( 85 — Lockport )
Jill Blair ( 88 — Bloomington )
Amy Davis ( 90 — Dixon )
John Curtis ( 93 — Macomb )
Dillon Clark ( 95 — Litchfield )
Mica Freeman ( 97 — Plainfield )
Natalie Manley ( 98 — Joliet )
Marc Bell ( 99 — Springfield )
Jen McMillin ( 101 — Decatur )
Carol Ammons ( 103 — Champaign )
Benjamin Webb ( 105 — Normal )
Shirley Bell ( 110 — Mattoon )
Katie Stuart ( 112 — Edwardsville )
Jay Hoffman ( 113 — Collinsville )
Illinois Senate ( district number — city of residence )
Omar Aquino ( 2 — Chicago )
Mattie Hunter ( 3 — Chicago )
John Cullerton ( 6 — Chicago )
Ram Villivalam ( 8 — Chicago )
Laura Fine ( 9 — Glenview )
Emil Jones III ( 14 — Chicago )
Bill Cunningham ( 18 — Chicago )
Iris Martinez ( 20 — Chicago )
Laura Ellman ( 21 — Naperville )
Tom Cullerton ( 23 — Villa Park )
Chris Nybo ( 24 — Elmhurst )
Tom Georges ( 26 — Mundelein )
Ann Gillespie ( 27 — Arlington Heights )
Julie Morrison ( 29 — Deerfield )
Terry Link ( 30 — Vernon Hills )
Mary Mahady ( 32 — McHenry )
Nancy Zettler ( 33 — Algonquin )
Gregg Johnson ( 36 — East Moline )
Heidi Henry ( 38 — Marseilles )
Don Harmon ( 39 — Oak Park )
Bridget Fitzgerald ( 41 — Western Springs )
Linda Holmes ( 42 — Aurora )
Andy Manar ( 48 — Bunker Hill )
Rachelle Aud Crowe ( 56 — Glen Carbon )
Christopher Belt ( 57 — Cahokia )
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Debra Shore and Marcelino Garcia
Champaign County Sheriff
Dustin Heuerman
Cook County Board of Commissioners ( district number — city of residence )
Kevin B. Morrison ( 15 — Mount Prospect )
Madison County Treasurer
Chris Miller
Peoria County Board
Rob Reneau
—From a press release
