CHICAGO - Equality Illinois, the state's civil rights organization for LGBTQ+ Illinoisans, on Thursday announced Illinois General Assembly and county-level endorsements for the November 8, 2022 General Election.
"Equality Illinois is excited to announce our state legislative endorsements today as we continue to make our state fairer and more just for LGBTQ+ people," said Justin DeJong, Board Chair of Equality Illinois, a 501(c)(4) organization. "In recent years, Illinois has been a beacon of equality and inclusion. Ensuring our beacon continues to burn brightly is so important at a time when anti-equality forces have introduced more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in state houses across the country. These endorsed candidates will continue to advance our progress as we keep fighting for equality and inclusion for all LGBTQ+ residents and visitors in Illinois."
"We especially thank our legislative incumbents for advancing justice for LGBTQ+ people," said Mike Ziri, Director of Public Policy at Equality Illinois. "Big affirming changes have happened during the current session of the Illinois General Assembly. Illinois became just the second state in the country to repeal its discriminatory HIV criminalization statute. The legislature took action to make Illinois a haven for reproductive rights. State legislators disrupted disparities for LGBTQ+ older adults and older adults living with HIV. And they expanded access to HIV prevention drugs through community pharmacies. We are excited for these advancements, but we also know there is more work to do to advance LGBTQ+ inclusive economic justice, ensure access to affirming healthcare, protect the right to privacy, and defend democracy. With these endorsed candidates, Illinois will keep moving forward."
"Equality Illinois is also excited to endorse allied champions to lead Cook and DuPage Counties: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, DuPage County Board Chair candidate Deb Conroy, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough, and Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi," said DeJong. "These allies have contributed to Illinois being the beacon of equality and inclusion, and we are grateful for their leadership."
Equality Illinois, a 501(c)(4) organization, engages in the advocacy and electoral processes to defend and advance full equality, justice, and fairness for LGBTQ individuals and their families in Illinois. Endorsements are based on responses on candidate questionnaires and voting records. Equality Illinois' complete endorsement list for the General Election can be found here: tinyurl.com/mrxuv4zv . Additional endorsements may be added to this webpage at a later date.
Endorsed are the following candidates:
BOLD indicates an LGBTQ+ candidate
Illinois Senate (District Number — Name)
1 — Javier Loera Cervantes
2 — Omar Aquino
4 — Kimberly Lightford
6 — Sara Feigenholtz
7 — Mike Simmons
8 — Ram Villivalam
9 — Laura Fine
10 — Robert Martwick
12 — Celina Villanueva
13 — Robert Peters
16 — Willie Preston
17 — Elgie Sims
20 — Cristina Pacione-Zayas
21 — Laura Ellman
22 — Cristina Castro
23 — Suzy Glowiak Hilton
25 — Karina Villa
26 — Maria Peterson
27 — Ann Gillespie
28 — Laura Murphy
29 — Julie Morrison
30 — Adriane Johnson
31 — Mary Edly-Allen
34 — Steve Stadelman
36 — Michael Halpin
39 — Don Harmon
42 — Linda Holmes
43 — Rachel Ventura
46 — Dave Koehler
48 — Doris Turner
57 — Christopher Belt
Illinois House of Representatives (District Number — Name)
2 — Elizabeth Hernandez
3 — Eva Dina Delgado
4 — Lilian Jiménez
5 — Lamont J. Robinson
6 — Sonya Harper
7 — Emanuel Chris Welch
8 — La Shawn Ford
9 — Lakesia Collins
11 — Ann Williams
12 — Margaret Croke
13 — Hoan Huynh
14 — Kelly Cassidy
15 — Michael Kelly
16 — Kevin Olickal
17 — Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz
18 — Robyn Gabel
19 — Lindsey LaPointe
23 — Edgar Gonzalez Jr.
26 — Kam Buckner
27 — Justin Slaughter
29 — Thaddeus Jones
38 — Debbie Meyers-Martin
39 — Will Guzzardi
40 — Jaime Andrade Jr.
41 — Janet Yang Rohr
42 — Terra Costa Howard
43 — Anna Moeller
45 — Jenn Ladisch Douglass
46 — Diane Blair-Sherlock
47 — Jackie Williamson
49 — Maura Hirschauer
50 — Barbara Hernandez
51 — Nabeela Syed
52 — Mary Morgan
53 — Mark Walker
54 — Mary Beth Canty
56 — Michelle Mussman
57 — Jonathan Carroll
58 — Bob Morgan
59 — Daniel Didech
60 — Rita Mayfield
61 — Joyce Mason
62 — Laura Faver Dias
63 — Brian Meyers
66 — Suzanne Ness
67 — Maurice West II
68 — Dave Vella
69 — Peter Janko
72 — Gregg Johnson
75 — Heidi Henry
77 — Norma Hernandez
79 — Erin Slone
81 — Anne Stava-Murray
83 — Matt Hanson
84 — Stephanie Kifowit
85 — Dagmara "Dee" Avelar
91 — Sharon Chung
98 — Natalie Manley
103 — Carol Ammons
104 — Cynthia Cunningham
112 — Katie Stuart
113 — Jay Hoffman
118 — Van Ikner
County Offices
Cook County Board President — Toni Preckwinkle
Cook County Clerk — Karen Yarbrough
Cook County Assessor — Fritz Kaegi
DuPage County Board Chair — Deb Conroy
Lake County Clerk — Anthony Vega
Cook County Board of Review (2nd District) — Samantha Steele
Cook County Board (8th District) — Anthony Joel Quezada
Cook County Board (9th District) — Maggie Trevor
Cook County Board (15th District) — Kevin B. Morrison
Coles County Board — Matt Titus
DeKalb County Board (11th District) — Shell DeYoung Dunn
McHenry County Board (9th District) — Jessica Phillips
McLean County Board (6th District) — Beverly Bell
McLean County Board (7th District) — Val Laymon
Peoria County Board (10th District) — Rob Reneau
Saline County Board — Dennis Gauger
About Equality Illinois
At Equality Illinois we envision a fair and unified Illinois where everyone is treated equally with dignity and respect and where all people live freely regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. We work hard to promote legislation to protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals; maintain the visibility of LGBTQ issues; oppose legislation which seeks to limit the civil rights of the LGBTQ community; and expand statewide grassroots support.
