Democratic congressional candidate Patty García is hoping she can turn the page on the controversy swirling around her nomination — and petition objections that knocked two of her independent challengers off the ballot on Tuesday — to focus on issues she says are affecting the 4th Congressional District, including ongoing ICE presence and threats to reproductive rights.
And she says voters in the district aren’t talking about “the process.”
“What I’m hearing at the doors is people concerned about immigration following them. ‘Is it safe to apply for citizenship right now? Are we going to be able to find better jobs and good jobs that don’t have us questioning and rationing food versus rent?'” García told the Sun-Times on Tuesday. “So for me, listening to the voters, that’s my pulse and the reality of where the community is at. And they’re not talking about the process. They’re talking about things that matter to them day to day.”
García, who was serving as U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” García’s chief of staff, officially announced her candidacy in November, about nine days after both Patty García and Rep. García filed nominating petitions to run as a Democrat for the 4th Congressional District. The last-minute maneuver — within an hour of the deadline — ensured Rep. García could bow out of the race and Patty García, no relation, could run in his place. Rep. García later said he was stepping down due to health and family reasons, but it left Patty García as the only Democrat on the ballot, almost assuring her of winning the traditionally blue seat.
In announcing her run in November, she defended that process, saying any other Democrat could have jumped into the race before Rep. García opted out.
“It’s an open process. Any person who’s interested in running for office can apply, can circulate their petitions and submit an application. We followed the rules. We collected signatures, and we submitted an application,” she said during her first campaign appearance at a grocery store in her hometown of Cicero. “People can apply at any point. We didn’t stop anybody from applying.”
Her name was also thrown around in constant criticisms coming from independent challengers Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Mayra Macías, who were both told on Tuesday by the Illinois State Board of Elections that they did not submit enough valid nominating petitions to make it onto the ballot as independent candidates. Both have said Patty García and Rep. García’s decision left voters without choices. Sigcho-Lopez has said he’s reviewing legal options, and Macías is considering a write-in campaign. But Patty García said she’s not worried about those challenges.
“What I’m worried about right now is making sure that we can get to to voters… For me, it’s making sure that we get to as many voters as possible to let them know why this race matters to them, and why I’m the most viable candidate and someone who has been doing the work and can best represent this district,” Patty García said. “That’s what I’m focused on. Making sure that we can win in November and take back the House.”
Patty García is now backed by a coalition of unions, community organizations and elected leaders, including U.S. Reps. García and Delia Ramirez, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Juliana Stratton, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Union support is coming from the Illinois AFL-CIO, Our Revolution, Chicago Federation of Labor and the SEIU Illinois State Council. Her campaign has also raised more than $350,000.
Little Village resident Lupe Castillo is running for the Republican nomination, and Bridgeport resident Ed Hershey is running as a candidate of the Working Class Party. Lyons Mayor Chris Getty is the sole independent candidate after Tuesday’s State Board of Elections hearing. Objectors didn’t file a challenge against Getty’s petitions.