After five years in the Illinois General Assembly, State Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) has passed about 50 bills. Now, Simmons is aiming for Washington, D.C., where he believes he can have an even greater impact.
As the only candidate who is both Black and LGBTQ+ running to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, Simmons said people with his lived experience are “woefully underrepresented” in Congress.
“That underscores even more how important it is to get people in these congressional seats who are closest to the pain in the community,” Simmons said. “Because those are the people I really do think have the best solutions.”
Simmons grew up in a working-class household in Chicago. His mother owned a salon in Rogers Park, and his father was an asylum seeker from Ethiopia who walked through the East African desert for eight days, passing through three countries, to escape political violence.
First elected to the Illinois Senate in 2021, Simmons has shepherded the first state-level child tax credit in America through the state legislature and recently helped relieve medical debt for 340,000 Illinois residents.
Evanston resident and retired educator Ron Whitmore also pointed to Simmons’s role in helping pass the Jett Hawkins Law, which prevents discrimination based on hair texture.
“Historically, Black people have been victimized and subjugated and fired for hair,” he said. “Mike’s legislation made sure that people got measured on their ability, not on how their hair looks.”
Whitmore said he is planning to vote for Simmons because of his “consistency, presence and commitment.”
Born and raised in the 9th District, Simmons said his understanding of its communities has given him an “urgency and fire” that compelled him to join the crowded Democratic race in July.
“I have these lived experiences around healthcare, housing and affordability, and I’ve got a track record now — half a decade as a state senator — passing bills,” Simmons said. “It made a lot of sense for me to jump at this opportunity to represent the people of the district.”
His supporters praise him as a fighter with a laundry list of legislative accomplishments. They also highlight what they consider his authenticity.
Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education member Leah Piekarz said she originally planned to back Mayor Daniel Biss but chose to back Simmons after she was impressed by his performance at a candidate forum last year.
After the event, she approached Simmons, whom she told The Daily is “very genuine,” and offered to volunteer for his campaign.
“It’s important to have really strong voices and fresh new faces representing different identities and lived experiences,” Piekarz said. “But you also have to be able to really understand the legislative process, how to work with others, including your opponents and get some bills passed.”
Canvassing throughout the district, Simmons has observed that voters’ number one concern is protecting American democracy, adding that his constituents are “pissed” about President Donald Trump.
“I think the voters in the 9th District want evidence that the next person who’s going to represent them is serious about taking on Donald Trump and stopping the erasure of Medicaid and human services, someone who’s serious about abolishing ICE and isn’t just going to say that because it sounds good on social media and gets you a bunch of clicks,” Simmons said.
Simmons said he supports removing Trump from office, adding the “only fair outcome” is to bring forth articles of impeachment, convict him and then send him to prison. Simmons also said he supported “robust” reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court, including expanding the court to 13 justices, removing lifetime appointments and implementing an ethics code.
Throughout the race, several candidates, including Simmons, have publicly demonstrated their opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement by attending protests and patrolling for federal immigration agents. Simmons said he supports abolishing ICE.
Among his proposals are defunding the agency and private prisons that he said are “one of the greatest threats to our democracy right now.” Simmons said as a taxpayer, he doesn’t want his money being used to detain people without due process.
Simmons also intends to expand the Illinois Child Tax Credit to the federal level by reinstating the child tax credit that was massively expanded under former President Joe Biden in 2021. He pointed to a universal basic income and higher taxes on billionaires as additional measures to tackle rising costs.
“We know that this is a way to eliminate child poverty and put more money in the pockets of working parents and stimulate the local economy,” Simmons said.
Simmons is looking to make history if elected to represent the 9th District, which encompasses Evanston, Skokie, Glenview and Wilmette.
“I’d only be the third Black and LGBTQ+ person ever elected to Congress if I win this primary and the general in November,” Simmons said. “And the thing is, I’m going to fight for everybody.”
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