Working for Illinois Caucus

Editor’s note: This is the next in The Intelligencer’s series of interviews with candidates running in the November election. The Intelligencer is working with the campaign of Republican Jimmy Ford to schedule an interview with him.

State Rep. Katie Stuart, the incumbent Democrat representing the 112th District, which includes much of Edwardsville and Maryville and parts of Glen Carbon.

She has represented the 112th District since defeating former state Rep. Dwight Kay in 2016. She has won re-election four times since.

“I’m very humbled that people have elected me to serve," Stuart said. "I never forget the responsibility they put on me. It’s really important to me to be accessible. I like to remind people that I have a newsletter to keep them informed. I host different virtual and in-person events, such as Coffee with Katie or Primetime with Katie, and I’d really encourage people to take advantage of those and help me help them keep track of what’s going on.”

This year, she’s being challenged by Republican Jimmy Ford.

Stuart sat down with The Edwardsville Intelligencer on Oct. 21 to discuss her campaign, issues facing the 112th District and other topics affecting voters.

Q. What keeps you motivated to keep doing this, and what do you feel is still unfinished that you want to get done in this term?

“I would say it’s the people in the 112th who keep me motivated to keep going. They deserve good, competent representation: someone who takes the job seriously, wants to listen to their concerns, bring them to Springfield and make sure we get good representation throughout the Metro East region. I still don’t think we do enough to support public education. Everyone knows that’s a big driving thing for me, so I think there’s more we need to do there. I’m working a lot on teacher shortages and trying to figure out what we can do for people entering the teacher pipeline. We’ve had a lot of discussions about paying student teachers, and I firmly believe that’s something we’ve got to figure out how to do as a state. There are issues like that, and continuing to take on insurance companies to make sure we can actually access the health care they claim to cover.”

Q. Besides student teachers, what else do you think the state can do to help boost public education?

“Continuing to fund the evidence-based funding model is really important. The way it’s set up, we have this professional review panel — I think that’s the official name — the PRP. I think there are some pieces that aren’t fully reflected in the evidence-based funding model. Besides classroom teachers, there are so many other support personnel, including school psychologists and social workers. We aren’t operating at optimal ratios. If the suggested ratio is a maximum of about 350 students to one social worker, we have districts where a social worker is tasked with covering twice or three times that number. We’ve got to find a way to put that into the formula, because a district may advertise that it needs two social workers, but that doesn’t mean that fills its need. It may be all the district can afford. We have to better reflect all those needs.”

Q. As you’ve talked with voters in the district, what are the biggest concerns you’re hearing? Has anything surprised you about what people are saying?

“No. I think it’s fun now, being in this for so long. There are houses you go to all the time, and you end up talking about their grandkids and where they’re going off to college. None of it is surprising. Everybody wants to feel safe and feel like there’s opportunity for the future for their kids and grandkids. They want to enjoy their community, go out to eat — whatever it is, that’s what people want. I haven’t heard anything much different this time than in other elections. A lot of people are concerned about what’s going on at the national level, but if you’re thinking about local and state issues, those conversations haven’t really changed.”

Q. What do you think are the biggest differences between you and your Republican challenger, Jimmy Ford? What should voters weigh most when comparing the two of you?

“I think I have a record I can stand on — things I’ve done, such as raising the minimum teacher salary across the state and standing up to insurance companies to make sure they cover things like vaginal estrogen. I’ve worked to make sure people who need hormone replacement therapy can get six months’ worth at a time, so it isn’t a hassle if they need to travel for work or go out of town. I’ve worked to make sure women have full control over their bodies and all their medical decisions, whether that’s abortion care or other reproductive care. My challenger does not support that.”

Q. The Chicago Tribune editorial board endorsed Jimmy Ford. What was your reaction, and why do you think it made the wrong choice?

“People can take that for what it is. If people in Chicago like him, then that’s fine. I don’t represent Chicago. The district is not Chicago. The concerns in Chicago are different from the concerns in the Metro East. I don’t think he’s a serious candidate. I don’t think he talks about the work he actually wants to do for the district.”

Q. As part of the Democratic House leadership, assuming Democrats retain control next term, what would you do to ensure the region’s needs are heard and that we’re a priority for the state?

“It’s very important that House leadership reflects all regions of the state. It was important to me to be chosen for leadership because I can enhance those issues, and we have those discussions. The leadership team does a lot. We review all the bills and determine which bills go to which substantive committees. It’s important to have our voices in that room as much as possible. I hope I’m chosen to stay on the leadership team because I feel that has made a big impact for us.”

Q. If this election goes the way it looks, seven of the eight people across the six state offices and two U.S. Senate seats will be from Chicago. Are you concerned Chicago might be over-prioritized, or do you see a good balance despite that disparity?

“We still have Treasurer Frerichs, who has roots downstate, and we have to remember that. We always had an understanding that one senator was from Chicago and one was from downstate. I’ve worked with Juliana Stratton, and I’m not worried about her ignoring the needs of downstate. Gov. Pritzker has shown he comes here a lot. He’s receptive when I call and talk to people in his office about how things are going down here. I’m not worried we’ll be ignored. We have strong voices, and we have the opportunity to have more strong voices in our region if we change who’s in our state Senate. That would amplify what we can do to make sure the Metro East gets heard and gets what it needs.”

Q. You have a good relationship with Juliana Stratton. How might that relationship benefit the region if she becomes the next U.S. Senator?

“We were elected at the same time, and everything is done on a seniority basis for assigning offices and parking spots. We were right in line behind each other, so we shared our legislative assistant in Springfield for the first two years we were there.”

“We have that personal connection from serving together. When you’re a freshman, you go through an orientation process. A few of us are still serving in the House, and that larger group would meet every once in a while to discuss how things were going. We have a pretty strong connection. I consider her a friend, and I think her ear is always open when I call.”

Q. What is one recent legislative or state-funding decision where the region’s interests were well represented, and where could we have been better represented?

“That’s a thoughtful question. It’s hard to think of recent specifics. There are lots of regions in the state with lots of different needs. Sometimes you feel that something helps one region more than another, but I think we do a pretty good job of advocating in the budget-making process. I frequently speak up in Democratic caucus meetings when we’re talking about specific things in the budget. One thing I complain about to my colleagues in Springfield is that I hear things called statewide: ‘We have a statewide program that does this.’ If you look at the map, Chicago and the collar counties aren’t the whole state. Having a couple of locations, with Peoria maybe the farthest reach, isn’t statewide to me. I want to keep advocating for that. I’m not decrying those communities for having what they need, but it’s unfair to expect me to support more funding for something that doesn’t reach my region while I’m advocating for funding here. I’ve been able to get good projects here. I’m proud of the Collinsville Area Vocational Center. I think the ribbon cutting is Oct. 30. I’ve seen previews, been in the building and seen students in it.

"… The Corn to Ethanol Center. Having one of our regional universities here, and seeing how the Edwardsville campus has grown, is an economic driver and something we support. I’ve been disappointed that we dug a big hole in higher education funding before I got into the legislature. We were on a good track to fill it in, but we’ve slowed that pace. A lot of that is because we had a very challenging budget year with federal cuts. Every dynamic was saying we were losing this at the federal level and needed the state to fill in more of the gap, so we were stretching dollars further than ever before. I was disappointed in how much we funded higher education. At least it was in the right direction, and I’ll continue to advocate for more.”

Q. A lot of voters are worried about the cost of living. What would be your top priority in the House to help get costs under control in Illinois?

“Actions in Washington are really the driver. When diesel prices are through the roof, you might not drive a diesel car, but it still affects you. The costs of growing food, transporting it and maintaining it all go up. That needs to be fixed at the federal level. But allowing the red-dye diesel change is important. Investing in things happening at the Corn to Ethanol Research Center is important, too, so more sustainable fuels and different sources of fuel are available. Continuing to invest in those isn’t just about the current affordability crisis; it’s a forward-looking issue that I think is important.”

Q. A few months ago, Chris Slusser made his comment about Anthony Fauci. Why do you think political rhetoric has reached a point where people feel it’s OK to call for someone’s execution, and what can we do to bring the temperature down?

“It was a vile comment. When you have a president of the United States who speaks with violent rhetoric all the time, it normalizes it and makes it seem OK. You have to do things like call people out. I’m not giving Slusser a pass with ‘Oh, it was just hyperbole.’ He basically told people they were stupid for hearing it as a call for execution, which is exactly what it was. We all misspeak. You can be wrong and say, ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’ You have to think about modeling for future generations. Younger people are watching. They’re going to model what they see, and the only way we can stem this tide is to behave better ourselves.”

Q. You’ve supported making elections easier to access. Is there election reform you would support?

“We had a task force or commission — I don’t remember what it was officially called — looking into ranked-choice voting, starting specifically with presidential primaries. I’m all for making those changes, but we have to realize a change like that means changing systems and processes. We have to make sure county clerks and other election authorities can upgrade the equipment they need. It was a really big, good discussion. Some clerks don’t have huge budgets. Right now, I’d rather that they focus resources on investing in drop boxes for mail-in ballots. In many places, including Madison County, they’re inside a building and available only during working hours. The idea of a drop box is to make it easier for people to return their ballot. I’d rather give election authorities the opportunity to install the boxes you see in states with widespread mail-in voting: outside, locked, accessible, fireproof and monitored by video cameras. I’d rather give them the opportunity to put those in place and spread them out. Most people in my district have accessible places they can get to. Public transportation takes them to centralized locations where there could be drop boxes. But further east in Madison County, it gets rural, and it’s a trek. I taught in Highland and live in Edwardsville. It’s a long drive. It would be great to be able to put those in other places.”

Q. Madison County voted two years ago to secede from the state. Several other counties have done so or are considering it, with some questions on the November ballot. Nothing will happen without action by Illinois and Congress, but what message does it send if people are willing to draw that line and say they’re done with Chicago?

“First of all, a lot of misinformation and flat-out lies are shared when those nonbinding questions are on ballots. There’s a lot of misrepresentation about how tax dollars are allocated. The facts show that our region gets more out than it puts in. Just like Illinois, we’re a donor state to other states. Alabama gets more than it puts in in federal tax dollars, and some of that is because of us as a state. It’s a similar situation with the collar counties supporting other regions of the state. When people say our dollars are going to Chicago, that’s fundamentally not true. Could dollars be allocated differently? Do I sometimes feel we don’t get as much investment as we need? Sure. But people in Rockford or Macomb would probably say the same thing. I get frustrated when people in elected positions don’t feel obligated to be factual, even if it’s unpopular. I understand why people grab onto the idea that we should secede from Chicago and that Chicago is taking everything from us, but that’s a lie. You have a responsibility to be truthful. A member of the Madison County Board told me that when they voted to put that on the ballot, they knew it was based on untruths and wouldn’t be smart for our area. But they knew it was popular, so they voted for it. I think that’s irresponsible. Sometimes we have to explain to the people we represent why something isn’t what they think it is. They might be upset when you take a vote or a stance, but you need to educate them about what’s better for your region. It’s not as simple as a couple of counties choosing to secede and then being gone. It’s a federal change. It has to go through the governors of different states and then the federal process. I’d much rather have county board members spend their time talking to me about how I can help support the county and what we could do better so we have a good partnership.”

Q. Is there anything else you want to add about the election or the campaign?

“One of the biggest frustrations in my life is voter turnout and how low it can be. That frustrates me because voting is such an important part of our democracy. Do we really know the will of the people when only 40% of those who could vote take their turn? I really want to plead with young people, people much younger than I am. I’m going to be making decisions, and people in positions like mine make decisions that will have a much longer impact on your lives because you have so much more of your life ahead of you. You need to make your voices heard so that the issues you care about start directing us. My plea is to younger voters: It’s not scary. It’s not hard. Go with your friends. Make it fun. But you all need to vote.”