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Bruce Leon

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Bruce Leon
Democratic Party
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 5, 2024
Education
High school
Highland Park High School
Bachelor's
University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1983
Personal
Birthplace
Chicago, IL
Religion
Jewish
Profession
Business founder
Contact
Campaign website
Campaign Facebook
Campaign Instagram
Personal Facebook
Personal LinkedIn

Bruce Leon (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 9th Congressional District. He will not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on March 17, 2026.

Leon completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Bruce Leon was born in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a high school diploma from Highland Park High School and a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1983. His career experience includes working as a business founder. Leon has been affiliated with the Young Presidents' Organization.[1]

Elections

2026

See also: Illinois' 9th Congressional District election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on March 17, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for U.S. House Illinois District 9

Delila Barrera is running in the general election for U.S. House Illinois District 9 on November 3, 2026.

Candidate
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Delila Barrera (Independent)

There are no incumbents in this race.

Candidate Connection = 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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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 9

The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 9 on March 17, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Kat Abughazaleh
Kat Abughazaleh Candidate Connection
Image of Bushra Amiwala
Bushra Amiwala Candidate Connection
Image of Phil Andrew
Phil Andrew Candidate Connection
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Submit photo
Natalie Angelo
Image of Daniel K. Biss
Daniel K. Biss
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Submit photo
Patricia Brown
Image of Jeff Cohen
Jeff Cohen
Image of Laura Fine
Laura Fine
Image of Justin Ford
Justin Ford Candidate Connection
Image of Mark Fredrickson
Mark Fredrickson Candidate Connection
Image of Hoan Huynh
Hoan Huynh
Image of Bethany Johnson
Bethany Johnson Candidate Connection
Image of Sam Polan
Sam Polan Candidate Connection
Image of Nick Pyati
Nick Pyati Candidate Connection
Image of Howard Rosenblum
Howard Rosenblum Candidate Connection
Image of Mike Simmons
Mike Simmons

Incumbents are bolded and underlined.

Candidate Connection = 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 9

Rocio Cleveland, John Elleson, Paul Friedman, and Mark Su are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 9 on March 17, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Rocio Cleveland
Rocio Cleveland
Image of John Elleson
John Elleson Candidate Connection
Image of Paul Friedman
Paul Friedman Candidate Connection
Image of Mark Su
Mark Su Candidate Connection

There are no incumbents in this race.

Candidate Connection = 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.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2024

See also: Chicago Public Schools, Illinois, elections (2024)

General election

General election for Chicago Public Schools school board District 2a

Ebony DeBerry defeated Bruce Leon, Kate Doyle, and Margaret Cullerton Hooper in the general election for Chicago Public Schools school board District 2a on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ebony DeBerry
Ebony DeBerry (Nonpartisan)
 
43.4
 
41,258
Image of Bruce Leon
Bruce Leon (Nonpartisan)
 
20.2
 
19,218
Image of Kate Doyle
Kate Doyle (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
19.6
 
18,639
Image of Margaret Cullerton Hooper
Margaret Cullerton Hooper (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
16.7
 
15,878

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 94,993
Candidate Connection = 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.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Leon in this election.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Bruce Leon completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Leon's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I’m Bruce Leon, a lifelong Chicagoan, small business owner, and problem-solver who believes politics should be about people, not partisanship. I built my business from the ground up, creating good jobs and helping working families access affordable health care. I’m running for Congress because I’m tired of the shouting and finger-pointing that’s replaced real problem-solving in Washington. I want to bring people together to get things done, the same way we do in business and community life every day.
  • I believe government should always put people first. Too often, political games come before the real needs of families, workers, and communities.
  • I know how to bring people together to get things done. As a business grower that helped Main Street businesses grow and as a community leader, I’ve spent my life solving problems through collaboration and respect.
  • We need leaders who put service over self and results over rhetoric. I will always listen, act with integrity, and stay focused on what actually helps people live better lives.
I’m focused on rebuilding trust in government, strengthening the working -class, and making our economy work for people who play by the rules. I also believe Congress must get back to solving real problems—protecting democracy, supporting small businesses, and investing in communities that have been left behind.
Integrity, empathy, and accountability. Public service is a trust, not a career. Elected officials should listen before they speak, tell people the truth even when it’s hard, and focus on results that make life better for the communities they represent.
To represent the people with honesty, humility, and common sense. A member of Congress should listen to their constituents, build coalitions to solve problems, and make government work better for the people it serves. The job is to deliver results, not sound bites or unnecessary partisan discord.
Losing my mother to suicide was the hardest experience of my life. She was an extraordinary woman — full of curiosity, compassion, and energy. When she died, I didn’t want that moment to define her. For a long time, I couldn’t even say the word “suicide” because I wanted people to remember the full, vibrant life she lived, not reduce her to a single moment of despair.

But over time I realized that neither extreme was honest. Her story wasn’t one or the other — it was both the beauty and the pain, the light and the darkness. Accepting that truth was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it also taught me something profound: wholeness and healing come from embracing complexity, not denying it.

That lesson has shaped everything about how I see the world. Whether in family, business, or politics, I’ve learned that progress depends on holding space for opposing truths — on listening, finding balance, and refusing to let labels or absolutes divide us. My mother’s story taught me compassion, humility, and the strength to lead with empathy. Those are the values I try to carry forward every day.
The House reflects the diversity, pace, and problem-solving spirit of the country itself. My career has been about helping small businesses navigate complexity and succeed — often by finding practical solutions where others only saw red tape. That same approach is what the House needs more of: people who know how to listen, act quickly, and deliver real results.
Experience in government can be helpful, but it’s not the only kind of experience that matters. I’ve spent my career helping hundreds of small businesses grow and thrive, and that real-world perspective is what Congress needs more of. Washington has plenty of politicians — what it’s missing are leaders who know how to listen, build teams, and get results.
Our greatest challenge is rebuilding trust in our institutions, in each other, and in our ability to work together. Division and dysfunction make it harder to tackle the real issues people face every day: the rising cost of living, global competitiveness, and the need for good jobs and strong communities. We need leaders who can unite people around shared purpose and practical solutions.
Yes. In business, if you don’t deliver for your clients, you lose them — and I think public service should work the same way. I come from a customer-service mindset, so I welcome the accountability of earning my constituents’ trust every two years. That’s how democracy stays responsive.
I support term limits because public service should be about contribution, not careerism. I’ve pledged to serve no more than four terms in Congress. Fresh perspectives help keep government responsive and accountable to the people, not entrenched interests.
I recent'y sat with a couple in Chicago who had just received notice that their property taxes went up 28%. They are small family business owners who are trying hard to raise their family in the neighborhood where they grew up. This massive tax increase is a huge burden on them and they are going to have to make real and painful cuts from their already tight budgets. I felt so bad hearing them struggle with new taxes on top of the higher costs for everything else, from groceries to insurance costs. Its for these people and others like them who play by the rules, do everything right but are still falling. behind because our local, state and federal governments' mis-priorities.
Yes. Real progress takes listening and working together, even when we disagree. I’m willing to forge compromise on policy to get things done for people, but I will never compromise my values or integrity. Too many politicians confuse stubbornness with strength — I believe strength comes from solving problems for people.
Raising and spending public money is one of Congress’s most serious responsibilities. I’ve managed budgets and payrolls, and I know every dollar should be treated with care. I’ll bring that same accountability to Washington — making sure taxpayer money is used wisely and focused on helping people, not serving special interests. By the way, I am not accepting any money from corporate PACS or other special interests.
In business, accountability is about improving performance, not assigning blame — and Congress should approach oversight the same way. The House’s investigative power should be used responsibly to uncover waste, ensure transparency, and restore public trust, not as a weapon for partisan fights.
Americans4Hindus, Eric "Ricki" Rothner
When I was younger, I worked in an environment where success often came with pressure to compromise — where money and vice were part of the company culture, and faith was something to hide. I stopped wearing my yarmulke because I was told it would hold me back. Years later, when I left to start my own business, I made myself a promise: I would build it on values, integrity, and giving back, and I would never again take off my yarmulke for anyone.
That decision became a defining moment in my life. It reminded me that true success isn’t measured by status or wealth, but by staying grounded in who you are and what you believe. When I wear my yarmulke in Congress, it will remind me to hold fast to those same principles — to act with honesty, humility, and respect for every person I serve.
As someone who’s helped businesses adapt to new technology, I know innovation moves fast — and government needs to keep up. The U.S. should promote AI research and competitiveness while protecting people’s rights and jobs. Our goal should be simple: make sure technology serves humanity, not the other way around.
Congress has the power to initiate Constitutional amendments, and I would use that authority to push for one ending partisan gerrymandering — when politicians draw district lines to keep themselves in power. A Constitutional amendment is the best path because it applies equally to both major parties, ensuring neither side can game the system. Ending gerrymandering would make our democracy stronger, our elections fairer, and our representatives more accountable to the people.

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.

2024

Bruce Leon did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.


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.

Bruce Leon campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2026* U.S. House Illinois District 9Withdrew primary$893,095 $77,645
Grand total$893,095 $77,645
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

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External links

Candidate

U.S. House Illinois District 9
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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on December 26, 2025


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