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Candidates › IL-04 race › 2025–2026
Patty Garcia
D Democratic nominee for U.S. House, IL-04
Has not served in Congress
- On the ballot
- On the general election ballotNov 3, 2026 · Illinois US House 4
- Where to vote
- Find your polling place (opens in a new tab) · More ways to vote
- Top priorities
- Lower Costs. Higher Wages.
- Defend Immigrant Families.
- 100% Pro-Union Investment
- Healthcare Is a Right
- Fully Fund Public Schools
- Money
- $526.7K raised, $370K spent, $156.7K cash on hand (through Oct 14, 2026). Where it comes from
- Who gives
- 14% of individual money from donors at $200 or less · 86% from Illinois · largest committee giver MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERS, $10K
- Outside groups
- $10 supporting Garcia
- Backed by
- Rep. Chuy García · Juliana Stratton · Alexi Giannoulias and 173 more. As the campaign lists them
- Polling
- 34% in the latest poll (The Bullfinch Group). The polls
10 priorities from pattyforillinois.com, in the order they are listed there. Every heading and the text under it is copied exactly, as one passage for each page it is from, and links to that place on the page; hover a source to see which passage it opens.
What We're Fighting For ↗ (opens pattyforillinois.com/issues at this heading)
Hardworking families are getting squeezed between high rents and high prices for food, medicine, utilities, and other necessities.
Big companies are reporting record profits, but Patty Garcia is advocating for reduced costs, workers' rights, and making the rich pay their due share.
Patty's top priorities
- Raising the federal minimum wage
- Passing the PRO Act
- Expanding the Child Tax Credit
- Reducing the cost of medicines and prescriptions
- Building more affordable homes
- Protecting Social Security and Medicare
- Punishing big businesses that raise prices on essential goods
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues
Immigration enforcement is being used to terrorize working-class immigrant communities instead of creating real reform.
She has spoken out against abusive enforcement tactics and believes families deserve dignity, due process, and the ability to live without fear.
Patty supports
- A pathway to citizenship
- Protections for Dreamers and mixed-status families
- Expanded legal services for immigrants
- Stronger oversight and accountability for federal immigration agencies
- Fundamentally restructuring immigration enforcement agencies, including abolishing ICE
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues
Patty is backed by the labor movement because of her commitment to the workers. Infrastructure projects must provide well-paid union employment opportunities as well as tangible benefits to working-class families, rather than simply benefiting corporations.
Patty has successfully brought about federal funding that has made possible various road, transportation, flood control, and water projects within our district.
A strong advocate for
- Prevailing wage protections
- Project labor agreements
- Substantial investment in public transport
- Replacing pipes that contain lead
- Apprenticeship opportunities
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues
Nobody should be made to declare bankruptcy after becoming ill.
Patty backs Medicare for All to ensure healthcare as a human right, provide access to more healthcare coverage, reduce prescription drug prices, and end medical bills that have become a burden on middle-class families.
Patty also supports
- Reproductive healthcare rights
- Increasing mental health care
- Improving community health clinics
- Letting Medicare bargain for better prescription prices from pharmaceutical companies
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues
Public education should be funded, protected, and accountable to students, parents, and educators — not privatized for profit.
As someone with a Ph.D. in Education Policy, she understands the importance of investing in strong neighborhood schools that serve every child.
Patty supports
- Increasing federal funding for public schools
- Expanding early childhood education
- Protecting special education and bilingual education programs
- Raising teacher pay
- Making college more affordable through expanded Pell Grants and student debt relief
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues
Our democracy should not be owned by billionaires, corporations, and interest groups who seek to gain power through bribery.
Patty is in favor of
- Reversing Citizens United
- Ending stock-trading by congressional representatives
- Toughening campaign contribution reporting
- Safeguarding voting rights
- Increasing early and mail-in voting opportunities
- Combating the influence of dark money in politics
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues
Patty is an advocate for ending all wars, occupation, and U.S. policies that promote violence abroad when working families continue to suffer at home.
Patty supports foreign policy based on diplomacy rather than warfare, international cooperation rather than domination, and respect for human rights, not corporate or military profits.
Patty favors
- More congressional control over the use of military force
- Increased humanitarian relief
- Protection of civilians
- Renewed emphasis on diplomacy and peace-making
- Re-channeling of funds into domestic areas such as health care, education, and infrastructure
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues
Patty believes that what the Israeli government has been doing to Palestinians in Gaza through mass murder and starvation is genocide.
Patty rejects the influence of AIPAC and billionaire-funded super PACs that use money and intimidation to silence criticism of Israeli government policy and manipulate American elections.
Her position
- An immediate and permanent ceasefire
- Cessation of all United States military assistance and arms shipments to Israel in its attack on Gaza
- Humanitarian assistance must be restored
- The Palestinian people have an inalienable right to self-determination, including the right of return and the right to national independence and sovereignty
- The government of Benjamin Netanyahu must be held accountable for violations of international law and human rights abuses
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues
Patty firmly believes that climate change is very much a real and looming danger to our planet that has started to affect communities at the grassroots level through flooding, increased temperatures, pollution, and higher costs of living.
Patty advocates for the strong push towards the adoption of sustainable energy and advanced infrastructure with good-paying union jobs.
Patty is in favor of
- The expansion of clean energy
- Updating of the current public transportation systems
- Fixing the issue of lead pipes
- Spending on flood mitigation efforts
- Taking down those responsible for the pollution of the environment
- Moving towards a clean energy economy
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues
Seniors should have respect, stability, and security having worked hard all their lives.
Patty opposes any plans to reduce funds allocated to Medicare and Social Security and is against privatization of programs which are utilized daily by millions of American seniors.
Seniors should never have to make a choice among their medications, paying rent, buying food, or paying utility bills.
Patty supports
- Increasing coverage of Medicare
- Reducing drug costs
- Protecting pensions
- Increasing home healthcare budgets
- Improving Social Security benefits to help seniors cope with the rising expenses
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · pattyforillinois.com/issues