Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm owner and former special-education teacher Beth Vercolio-Osmund is running in the Democratic primary to unseat Republican Adam Kinzinger who has held the seat since 2012.
Kinzinger previously represented the 11th Congressional District for one term before re-districting changed district boundaries in Illinois. Vercolio-Osmund's primary challengers are Amy Briel, Sara Dady and Neill Mohammad.
Windy City Times: Why did you decide to run?
Beth Vercolio-Osmund: When I first thought of running for office in 2012 things were going pretty well so I decided to stay local and work on farming issues but in the past year, as we have seen, things have blown up in our face. This has woken up a lot of people to become more civically engaged and active. For me that meant jumping into the political arena as a congressional candidate because I think government should be a force for good and it seems to be going in the opposite direction.
WCT: How would you approach the job differently than what the incumbent has done in the past? If elected, will you hold regular town halls in the district?
BVO: Yes, I will hold regular town halls. This has been my biggest frustration with our current representative, especially in the past year when people have been more politically active. He has gone out of his way to avoid his constituents. The thing that is most important and how I will do the job is listening and being a voice for my constituents. People will not always agree with me or what I do but is critical that I hear their opinions and I get information from experts in any given field. I will make decisions based on the input of voters and my own research and good judgment. Voting in the interests of my constituents, not the lobbyists, is how I will approach the job.
WCT: Where do you fall on the spectrum politically? Would you say you are more of a centrist or to the far left or somewhere in between?
BVO: I am a really proud progressive but one who is willing to listen. I am a firm believer in not letting the perfect get in the way of the good. I will be a bridge builder, not a bomb thrower.
WCT: What are the most important issues facing the country and how would you address them if elected?
BVO: Our infrastructure needs are large including waterways and roads. Rural broadband internet is an issue that is dear to my heart. I could not run my business without it and yet it is not as good as it could or should be.
The social safety net is vital including social security, universal healthcare and protecting the most vulnerable. I am the manager at our local food pantry and I see every day the effects of low wages and economic insecurity on people in our community. Most of our food pantry clients have jobs and they should not have to come to the food pantry in order to feed their families. We need a livable minimum wage. We also need to protect worker's rights.
Education is critical. I used to be a special education teacher and one of the things that we could do on a national level is take a hard look at No Child Left Behind because all it has done is create an environment of high stakes testing. Schools are cutting back and jettisoning anything that is not on the test. We are really doing our kids a disservice by not teaching art, music, history and vocational skills that make life richer and more livable.
Additionally, universal childcare is vital for working families as well as making college more affordable. I know what it is like to fill out the FAFSA for my kid to be able to go wherever he wants without it being a long-term burden on us or him in the form of unmanageable student debt.
Climate change is real. The Trump Administration imposing higher tariffs on solar panels is the opposite of what we should be doing to hasten what is happening to our planet. We cannot subsidize the coal and oil industries and tax green energy.
WCT: What grade level should civics be introduced and built upon in subsequent years?
BVO: Civic responsibility and compassion should be taught from the earliest of ages [irst grade] about how government works and the role they play in it. Being an informed citizen is everyone's right and duty. Seeing young kids at the Women's Marches is civics in action. We need to make sure that by the time kids are 18 they care about the issues and are excited about voting.
We also need media literacy so students can learn how fact check and determine if a news story passes the sniff test.
WCT: Have you had any interactions with the LGBTQ community? If so, what were they?
BVO: When marriage equality came into the American consciousness I was talking to my mom and dad. They are good Democrats from a union household but they are also Catholic and were expressing some concerns. I said to them that they had been married for over 50 years and Uncle Jerry and Duane have been together for about that same amount of time and when I asked them if my uncle's deserved the same kind of protection and legal status as they did a light bulb turned on for them. I think personalizing it was important because my parents never thought about it that way before.
I have also advocated legislatively for equality over the years as well as celebrating with LGBTQ friends when there is good news and supporting them when the news is bad.
WCT: What do you see are the most important issues or obstacles facing the LGBTQ community and how would you address them?
BVO: As an ally, I would ask them what issues or obstacles they face and how we can address them legislatively. It is not my job to speak for them but it is my job to make sure there is a space at the table so their voices are heard.
WCT: If elected, will you co-sponsor the Equality Act?
BVO: Absolutely. A person's sexual orientation and/or gender identity are immutable and a part of who they are and should be protected by law.
WCT: What is your opinion on the SCOTUS Masterpiece Cakeshop case?
BVO: I think the court should decide in favor of the gay couple. Religious freedom is essential but to use it to demean and degrade others is not what is was meant to protect. If the bakery wins this case does that mean a Christian-owned car dealer can refuse to hire a Muslim? It would send us down a dangerous path. Any time we let discrimination happen against anybody it hurts everyone.
WCT: Where do you stand on transgender people in the military including providing full medical services for those troops?
BVO: Anyone who is willing and able to serve deserves all our respect no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. Providing transgender troops comprehensive medical services is the right thing to do. People who wave the flag and say they support our troops but are willing to discriminate are the worst kind of hypocrites.
WCT: Will you join the LGBT Equality Caucus? What other caucuses are you looking to join?
BVO: Yes and I am also looking at the Congressional Bike Caucus, the Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, the Agriculture and Rural America Taskforce, Climate Solutions Caucus and others.
WCT: Do you support strengthening the ACA with our current system in place or moving to a publicly funded system ( Medicare for All ) that eliminates private insurance companies?
BVO: For now we need to make sure we are protecting and strengthening the ACA and at the same time moving toward a publicly funded Medicare for All system.
WCT: What is your position on immigration writ large and DACA and the DREAMers more specifically?
BVO: We need to work toward comprehensive, sane immigration reform. One that keeps families together and helps immigrants come to this country legally. That is what America is and the Statue of Liberty is a welcome mat. So many of us are here because our ancestors embraced that welcome including my grandfather who came from southern Italy, probably undocumented but at the time that looked different. He worked in the coal mines and his son, my dad, graduated from high school and got a good job. That could not happen without immigration so we cannot roll up the rug, close the door and say we got ours because that is wrong.
We need to protect the DREAMers and give them a path to citizenship because that is the right thing to do.
WCT: Where do you stand on the ERA and women's reproductive choice? What about the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements?
BVO: The ERA should be ratified because today we are one of the few countries to protect women in our constitution ( due to how long ago it was ratified ).
Roe v. Wade is the law, and I am really tired of people trying to restrict access to abortion services. We need to limit the need for abortions by having comprehensive sex education and contraception and healthcare access available for everyone. I am a strong advocate for reproductive choice.
In terms of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, the fact that women and men who have been victims of sexual harassment and assault are finding their voices to speak out and that they are being acknowledged is fantastic. I do hope in both cases we make sure it continues to happen and goes beyond celebrities and other high profile people and the protections that are being put in place reach to other workplaces in our society. Men who are allies need to take action, not just say they are allies. The double standard in politics surrounding sexual harassment and assault is wrong and we need to hold everyone who does this equally accountable.
WCT: Are there any elected officials that speak to you due to the way they do their jobs?
BVO: Former President Obama in terms of his integrity and ability to approach problems with compassion and intelligence was so admirable. Sen. Tammy Duckworth is another good example of someone who has overcome so much adversity, not only in the military, but also while growing up is inspiring. Her impassioned speech about not being lectured to about how we should treat the military by Cadet Bone Spurs was also great.
WCT: If elected, how will your previous work and volunteer efforts inform how you do your job?
BVO: My varied work history as a special education teacher, at an educational software company training other teachers, at the accounting firm Arthur Andersen and now as a farm owner with my husband have coalesced around a couple of themes—communication which is my greatest asset and being solutions oriented which will translate really well into the political world.
For more information, visit www.vercolioosmundforcongress.com/ .
