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Angelica Alfaro
Angelica Alfaro was a 2016 Democratic candidate for District 2 of the Illinois State Senate.
Elections
2016
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Illinois State Senate were held in 2016. The primary election was held on March 15, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was November 30, 2015.[1] Incumbent William Delgado (D) did not seek re-election.
Omar Aquino ran unopposed in the Illinois State Senate District 2 general election.[2][3]
| Illinois State Senate, District 2 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic |  Omar Aquino (unopposed) | |
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections | ||
Omar Aquino defeated Angelica Alfaro in the Illinois State Senate District 2 Democratic primary.[4][5]
| Illinois State Senate, District 2 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Omar Aquino |
52.90% | 21,557 | |
| Democratic | Angelica Alfaro | 47.10% | 19,193 | |
| Total Votes | 40,750 | |||
2016 primary
- Main article: Battleground Illinois primary elections, 2016
Race background
Alfaro and Aquino argued over their progressive credentials. Aquino called Alfaro a "Rauner Democrat," referring to her support from allies of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner such as the education group Stand for Children. "I think it's kind of laughable to call yourself a progressive when ... you receive money from people that are allies with the governor. ... They're the reason why we have a governor right now that has waged war on working-class families," Aquino said.[6]
Alfaro responded that Aquino was "backed by the political machine" and said she, in contrast, was running "a grassroots campaign" and received campaign contributions from local residents. "I'll be beholden to them, and I will represent them in Springfield," Alfaro said.[6]
An independent expenditure PAC aligned with Gov. Rauner, IllinoisGo, delivered pro-Alfaro mail, "touting her backstory as a first-generation college graduate and 'daughter of Mexican immigrants and proud union worker,'" according to Progress Illinois.[6]
Below were key endorsements for Alfaro and Aquino. Aquino received endorsements from prominent labor and teachers' unions while Alfaro received endorsements from several elected Chicago officials.[7][6][8][9]
| Key endorsements | |
|---|---|
| Alfaro | Aquino |
| Equality Illinois PAC | Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia |
| Planned Parenthood Illinois (both candidates were endorsed) | Planned Parenthood Illinois |
| Stand for Children PAC | Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa |
| Alderman Will Burns | Chicago Teachers Union |
| Alderman George Cardenas | Grassroots Illinois Action |
| Alderman Brian Hopkins | Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Illinois State Council |
| Alderman Proco Joe Moreno | AFL-CIO |
| Chicago Tribune | AFSCME - Council 31 |
| Alderman Danny Solis | Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois |
| INCS PAC | Illinois Education Association |
| GPAC | Illinois Federation of Teachers |
Campaign themes
2016
Alfaro's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
| “ | Education. If every child in this state had access to a great school in their neighborhood, Illinois would be unstoppable. I am the first in my family to graduate from college and, for the past eight years, I have counseled hundreds of first-generation students in getting into college and staying in college. Through the experience of working in the CPS system, I have learned that we need to hold all schools accountable on behalf of our students – whether they are neighborhood, selective enrollment, magnet, or charter. Accountability should also extend to our CPS leadership. I believe our community should have a greater voice in choosing the direction of our schools through an elected school board with members who are directly accountable to their neighborhoods.
We desperately need an overhaul of our broken public school funding system, the most inequitable in the country. Students who need the most resources get the least. Public schools must be properly funded to ensure that teachers and principals are able to provide the highest quality of learning to students. I also believe that we need to stop pitting public school types against one another and instead focus on making sure the state provides its fair share of funding to all public schools. A strong education system means a strong work force. I support expanding opportunities for high school students to earn career certifications that meet the workforce needs of Illinois businesses. Safer Streets. It all comes back to education: we need to provide every child with a great school that prepares them for a successful future. This is the #1 violence prevention tactic and way to end the school-to-prison pipeline. I also support universal background checks for every single gun purchase and strict laws against straw purchasers who buy guns and then sell them illegally on the street. We need these laws to prevent criminals from getting their hands on guns because there is no excuse for the violence on Chicago's streets and the danger it presents to children in our community. Tax Reform. Illinois has one of the most regressive tax systems in the country, which is hurting low-income and middle-class families the most. I do not support additional increases in sales or property taxes, but instead support a progressive income tax that treats low and middle income residents more fairly and makes wealthier residents pay more of their fair share. The Illinois tax system places an unfair burden on the middle class while the rich get richer. I'm going to fight to reform taxes to reduce income inequality and make the wealthiest in Illinois pay their fair share. Pensions. CPS is the only school district in the state that pays for its own teacher pensions. In every other school district, the state covers those costs. At the same time, Chicago taxpayers also pay into the state’s teacher pension system – so they pay two times for teacher pensions while the rest of the state pays one time. This is fundamentally unfair to Chicago students – who have $600 million drained from classrooms every year to pay pensions – and to Chicago taxpayers who are on the hook to pay for other school districts’ teacher pension costs as well as our own. Reproductive Rights. Abortions should be safe, legal, and rare. A woman should never be put in a situation where she is making that decision based on finances. Equality. I’m thrilled that same sex marriage is the law of the land across the country. I also believe in expanding services at organizations that serve at-risk LGBT youth so they have access to supports to help them with everything from mental health services to providing safe spaces they may need. Every person must be afforded the same civil rights and treated with respect and dignity as any other. Healthcare. Access to high-quality, affordable healthcare is a fundamental right for everyone in Illinois. Environment. We only have one planet and it’s up to us to take care of it. I support increased opportunities for mass transit, protecting open spaces, incentivizing recycling, and saying no to fracking. Working Families. No one who works full-time should be forced to live in poverty. I support a statewide raise in the minimum wage to support working families. I feel strongly that State government should do more to help parents pursue a career by having stable and adequate child care assistance and early childhood education opportunities. Immigration. The federal government’s inaction on immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship has forced people into the shadows and divided families. As the daughter of Mexican American immigrants, I understand the frustration and challenges facing the immigrant community. I will do everything possible at the state-level to provide stability for documented and undocumented immigrants, including providing access to college scholarships to undocumented students and cutting the red tape in getting drivers’ licenses. Homelessness. For far too many individuals, seniors and families, homelessness is a reality. Having a safe, warm and dry place to call your home is the foundation to one’s overall wellbeing. We must do all we can to support those who are struggling with mental health issues and often end up on the streets. We must protect safety nets that allow seniors to stay in their homes. And we must aid families struggling to make ends meet by providing affordable access to day care and health care.[10][11] |
” |
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Angelica Alfaro Illinois. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Illinois State Senate
- Illinois State Senate District 2
- Illinois State Senate elections, 2016
- Illinois State Legislature
Additional reading
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election and Campaign Finance Calendar," accessed November 30, 2015
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate list: General Election - 11/8/2016," accessed August 8, 2016
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election results, General election 2016," accessed December 15, 2016
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate Filing Search," accessed January 3, 2016
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results: GENERAL PRIMARY - 3/15/2016," accessed August 8, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Progress Illinois, "Candidates In 2nd Senate District Clash On Charter Schools, Progressive Credentials," February 23, 2016
- ↑ Friends of Angelica Alfaro, "Endorsements," accessed February 24, 2016
- ↑ Aquino for Senate, "Endorsements," accessed March 1, 2016
- ↑ Progress Illinois, "Progressive Groups, Leaders Endorse Omar Aquino In 2nd Senate District," February 16, 2016
- ↑ Friends of Angelica Alfaro, "About," accessed February 24, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
