CHICAGO, IL—The National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter (NASW-IL), announces its endorsements for the upcoming 2022 general election. While every election seems pivotal, the upcoming election will greatly determine the future of social work and human services in Illinois. Many of the crucial decisions that impact funding for human services, reforms for DCFS and DOC, and protections for our clients in the state will be made by leaders elected by Illinois citizens on November 8th. Therefore, it is crucial to endorse candidates who support legislation and policies consistent with the goals of the social work profession. We also have several social workers/MSWs currently on the ballot, all of whom have competitive races. With a mental health crisis growing due to the pandemic and a state struggling to deal with violence deeply rooted in inequities and trauma, there has never been a better time for social workers to be in office.
The below list of endorsements were made by NASW-Illinois Chapter Political Action Committee (NASW-IL PAC) members based on questionnaire responses from the candidates, personal interactions, and/or additional factors like policy positions and viability.
J.B. Pritzker - GOVERNOR
Juliana Stratton - LT. GOVERNOR
Alexi Giannoulias - SECRETARY OF STATE
Susana A. Mendoza - COMPTROLLER
Kwame Raoul - ATTORNEY GENERAL
Michael W. Frereichs - TREASURER
Illinois Senate:
Sara Feigenholtz - 6TH SENATE
Laura Fine - 9TH SENATE
Mike Pirfirio - 11th SENATE
Bill Cunningham - 18TH SENATE
Cristina Pacione-Zayas - 20TH SENATE
Laura Ellman - 21ST SENATE
Suzanne "Suzy" Glowiak Hilton - 23RD SENATE
Karina Villa - 25TH SENATE
Maria Peterson - 26TH SENATE
Ann Gillespie - 27TH SENATE
Laura M. Murphy - 28TH SENATE
Mary Edly-Allen - 31ST SENATE
Steve Stadelman - 34TH SENATE
Michael W. Halpin - 36TH SENATE
Linda Holmes - 42ND SENATE
Rachel Ventura - 43RD SENATE
Dave Koehler - 46TH SENATE
Christopher Belt - 57TH SENATE
Illinois House:
Eva-Dina Delgado - 3RD REPRESENTATIVE
Lilian Jimenez - 4TH REPRESENTATIVE
Sonya Marie Harper - 6TH REPRESENTATIVE
Emanuel "Chris" Welch - 7TH REPRESENTATIVE
Lashawn Ford - 8TH REPRESENTATIVE
Ann M. Williams - 11TH REPRESENTATIVE
Margaret Croke - 12TH REPRESENTATIVE
Hoan Huynh - 13TH REPRESENTATIVE
Kevin Olickal - 16TH REPRESENTATIVE
Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz - 17TH REPRESENTATIVE
Robyn Gabel - 18TH REPRESENTATIVE
Lindsey LaPointe - 19TH REPRESENTATIVE
Angie Guerrero-Cuellar - 22ND REPRESENTATIVE
Edgar Gonzalez, Jr. - 23RD REPRESENTATIVE
Justin Q. Slaughter - 27TH REPRESENTATIVE
Thaddeus Jones - 29TH REPRESENTATIVE
William "Will" Davis - 30TH REPRESENTATIVE
Mary E. Flowers - 31ST REPRESENTATIVE
Cyril Nichols - 32ND REPRESENTATIVE
Marcus C. Evans, Jr. - 33RD REPRESENTATIVE
Nicholas "Nick" Smith - 34TH REPRESENTATIVE
Kelly M. Burke - 36TH REPRESENTATIVE
Debbie Meyers-Martin - 38TH REPRESENTATIVE
Will Guzzardi - 39TH REPRESENTATIVE
Janet Yang Rohr - 41ST REPRESENTATIVE
Terra Costa Howard - 42ND REPRESENTATIVE
Anna Moeller - 43RD REPRESENTATIVE
Fred Crespo - 44TH REPRESENTATIVE
Jenn Ladisch Douglass - 45TH REPRESENTATIVE
Diane Blair-Sherlock - 46TH REPRESENTATIVE
Jackie Williamson - 47TH REPRESENTATIVE
Maura Hirschauer - 49TH REPRESENTATIVE
Barbara Hernandez - 50TH REPRESENTATIVE
Nabeela Syed - 51ST REPRESENTATIVE
Mary Morgan - 52ND REPRESENTATIVE
Mark L. Walker - 53RD REPRESENTATIVE
Mary Beth Canty - 54TH REPRESENTATIVE
Michelle Mussman - 56TH REPRESENTATIVE
Bob Morgan - 58TH REPRESENTATIVE
Daniel Didech - 59TH REPRESENTATIVE
Joyce Mason - 61ST REPRESENTATIVE
Laura Faver Dias - 62ND REPRESENTATIVE
Linda R Robertson - 65TH REPRESENTATIVE
Maurice A. West II - 67TH REPRESENTATIVE
Dave Vella - 68TH REPRESENTATIVE
Greg Johnson - 72ND REPRESENTATIVE
Heidi Henry - 75TH REPRESENTATIVE
Lance Yednock - 76TH REPRESENTATIVE
Jackie Haas - 79TH REPRESENTATIVE
Anne Stava-Murray - 81ST REPRESENTATIVE
Stephanie A. Kifowit - 84TH REPRESENTATIVE
Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr. - 86TH REPRESENTATIVE
Sharon Chung - 91ST REPRESENTATIVE
Natalie Manley - 98TH REPRESENTATIVE
Cynthia E. Cunningham - 104TH REPRESENTATIVE
Katie Stuart - 112TH REPRESENTATIVE
Jay Hoffman - 113TH REPRESENTATIVE
Latoya N. Greenwood - 114TH REPRESENTATIVE
Additional endorsements may still be forthcoming and will be posted on the NASW-Illinois website as they occur.
The NASW-IL PAC is the nonpartisan political arm of the National Association of Social Workers-Illinois Chapter. As a political action committee, NASW IL PAC endorse and financially contribute to candidates from any party who support NASW’s policy agenda. The national PACE Board of Trustees endorses and contributes to federal candidates running for U.S. House and Senate seats; state chapter PAC units decide on local and state races.