Brendyn Morgan
Brendyn Morgan (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 16th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on March 17, 2026.[source]
Morgan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Brendyn Morgan was born in Indiana. He served in the U.S. Army from 2016 to 2023. He graduated from New Albany High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from American Military University in 2022. His career experience includes being self employed and working in logistics, public service, and gig work. He has been affiliated with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Illinois' 16th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on March 17, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 16
Joe Albright, Scott Best, Brendyn Morgan, and Paul Nolley are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 16 on March 17, 2026.
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 16
Incumbent Darin LaHood, Garth Gullette, and John Kitover are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 16 on March 17, 2026.
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 | Darin LaHood | |
 | Garth Gullette | |
 | John Kitover | |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
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Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Brendyn Morgan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Morgan's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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After serving in the U.S. Army, I came home determined to keep serving my community. I worked in logistics, public housing, and student transportation, where I saw firsthand how broken systems can hold people back. I earned my bachelor’s degree using Military Tuition Assistance and will soon earn a master’s degree with the help of my GI Bill.
It was through all this work and conviction that I became inspired to run!- I’m running to rebuild the middle class by investing in small towns, family farms, and local businesses instead of billionaires and corporate lobbyists. Our economy should reward hard work and community, not greed and exploitation.
- As a veteran, I know what real service looks like. Congress should fight for people, not donors. I’ll work to make sure every veteran, worker, and family gets the healthcare, education, and fair wages they’ve earned. I'll also fight tirelessly to end their chokehold on US elections.
- We’re taking power back from the elites who’ve turned our government into their playground. This campaign is about doing what's right, regardless of establishment partisan pressure. We’re building a people’s movement that puts working Americans first.
As a veteran, I’m fighting to overhaul how we treat service members and their families (mental healthcare, housing, job placement). I’m also passionately focused on labor rights, renewable energy, and fair taxation, so our economy rewards work instead of wealth hoarding.
A representative should be visible, informed, and accessible. That means holding town halls, visiting schools and workplaces, and staying engaged with local governments to make sure federal resources are reaching the district. It also means standing up to waste, fraud, and political games that get in the way of progress.
Congress holds immense power over the nation’s future, and it has a duty to use that power responsibly. That includes crafting sound legislation, conducting strong oversight of federal agencies, and managing taxpayer dollars wisely.
If nothing else, I want people to see that you don’t have to come from power to make a difference. I want kids who look like me, or who come from the same kind of backgrounds, to know that they can take up as much space as anyone else.
As I got older, I understood the weight of it. I was able to grasp the fear, confusion, and anger that followed. But what stuck with me most wasn’t just the tragedy; admittedly, it was how people came together afterward. For a little while, it felt like everyone remembered that we actually need each other to progress.
I think that’s why I care so much about the systems we build. I’ve lived what it feels like to fall through the cracks, and I don’t want anyone else to feel that helpless.
Economically, we need to strengthen the middle class by rebuilding domestic manufacturing, supporting small businesses, and improving workforce training. Our nation can’t compete globally if our own workers are struggling to survive. Healthcare, housing, and education costs have pushed millions to the brink. We need a new generation of policies that put families, workers, and small communities back on solid ground.
We also face a generational test on climate and sustainability. That means investing in renewable energy, improving water and soil conservation, and supporting farmers who are on the front lines of climate change.
Shirley Chisholm proved that representation means nothing without courage. She never waited for permission to lead.
John Lewis taught this country the meaning of moral clarity through action instead of speeches.
Barbara Lee stood alone against war because she refused to abandon her values when it mattered most.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reminds us that politics can still have heart. She taught me that you can fight for working people, speak plainly, and stay grounded in community no matter how loud the opposition gets.
Each of them reminds me that leadership isn’t about comfort or career. They help me remember that my conscience is my compass. That's why I'm willing to tell the truth, even when it’s unpopular.
She said they were "doing everything we’re supposed to, but it feels like the system’s set up to break people like us.” That hit me deeply because It’s one thing to read about rising healthcare costs... It’s a whole other feeling to look someone in the eye and see what it’s physically/mentally doing to them. Nobody should have to endure this much just to stay alive. That conversation sticks with me every time I think about why our work matters.
That doesn’t mean surrendering principles. It means finding common ground on goals that matter to the public. Rebuilding infrastructure, lowering healthcare costs, supporting veterans, and creating good jobs are priorities that should unite leaders across the aisle.
Our current tax code rewards corporations that move jobs overseas and billionaires who avoid paying their share. That needs to change. Revenue policy should reward productivity, innovation, and community investment. It should make it easier for families to own homes and build wealth.
I’d also focus on cutting wasteful spending that benefits special interests while protecting programs that people rely on. Every dollar in the federal budget should serve a public purpose. Whether that’s rebuilding infrastructure or strengthening schools, my belief is that Congress must hold true to this value.
When the House uses its authority properly, it strengthens public trust. I believe these powers should focus on issues that directly affect the public: price gouging by corporations, wasteful defense contracts, government inefficiency, and violations of civil rights. We need real oversight on how tax dollars are spent and whether policies are producing the results Americans were promised.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 8, 2025
