Editor’s note: This is one in a series of stories looking at races in the Aurora area in the Nov. 3 election.
The race for state senator in the 25th District in Illinois in the Nov. 3 election is between Democrat Karina Villa and Republican Jeanette Ward.
The incumbent in the 25th District, Republican state Sen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove, is not running for reelection to the Illinois Senate. He is running for Congress in the 14th District against incumbent Democrat Lauren Underwood of Naperville.
In the 25th District Senate race, Ward, 47, of West Chicago, said she decided to run in order to “promote freedom, faith and family.” While canvassing her district, Ward said the top three issues are taxes, corruption and the need to defend funding for police.
“We have a bribery scheme here in Illinois and things like term limits that are way overdue,” Ward said.
Taxes, she said, “are the number one thing I hear about and people are constantly talking about their exit plans to leave Illinois.”
“People are also concerned about law and order and defunding the police,” she said. “There is also talk about swifter justice and there being longer sentences.”
If elected, Ward said she wants to focus on reducing taxes and seeing ethics reform instituted.
“Reducing taxes would also be a way to increase revenue and is something we have to do if people are going to stay here,” she said.
Ward said ethics reform in Springfield is also important.
“I also want to see ethics reform so that the inspector general doesn’t have to get permission to start an investigation or people aren’t voting where they have conflicts of interest or are lobbying colleagues,” she said.
Villa, 42, of West Chicago, said the three issues voters are most concerned about include health care and access to it, the rising cost of living and the pandemic.
“Health care is about cost and having access and seniors, in particular, are worried about losing it,” Villa said. “There are also concerns about mental health services, pre-existing conditions and those with disabilities.”
Villa said there are concerns within the middle class about the cost of living and taxes.
“The middle class works hard but they wonder whether taxes are fair,” she said.
The COVID-19 issue revolves around “whether it’s safe to open schools” as well as kids moving from public to private schools and also the concern about the fate of small businesses.
Currently the state representative in the 49th District, Villa said if elected to the Illinois Senate she would focus on “fixes for the middle class, helping small businesses and standing up for health care.”
“We need to make sure the fixes that are coming are not on the shoulders of the middle class as there are going to be a lot of tough decisions,” she said.
Villa also wants to focus on small businesses and advocate for health care which includes mental health issues in adults and examining the growing number of opioid-related deaths.
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
