The 3rd Congressional District, which includes much of the Northwest Side of Chicago, parts of suburban Cook County and some suburbs in the eastern part of DuPage County, is represented by Democrat Delia Ramirez, 43, who has served the district since 2023. Ramirez was unopposed in the primary, as was her opponent, former Winfield Village Trustee Angel Oakley, 50, who describes herself as “a conservative moderate who leads with American values, love, and compassion — seeking to bring people together around common-sense solutions.”
We have had our issues with Ramirez, most notably when it comes to her slow condemnation of Hamas and when she said last year in Mexico City that she was “a proud Guatemalan before I’m an American,” hardly ideal rhetoric for a U.S.-born member of Congress who has sworn an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States. In an editorial at the time, we argued that Ramirez’s words “crossed the line between honoring heritage and undermining public trust,” although she did later attempt to walk them back.
We’d also note that Ramirez, on the left flank of the Democratic Party, has worked hard to serve her district. She describes herself as “a staunch advocate of housing as a human right, healthcare for all, climate justice, and the fight to preserve and protect our democracy.”
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Oakley, though, does not occupy the right flank of her party; we think she would be a moderate very much in the political center.
“Every dollar Congress spends should be tracked, audited, and posted online so taxpayers can see where it goes,” she told us, arguing that we should “get money out of politics so decisions are made for constituents, not donors.” She also said the U.S. should “back true free markets with real competition, so big companies can’t rig the game and small businesses can grow.” Agreed. “When government spends wisely and markets are fair,” she told us, “prices can come down and paychecks can go further.”
We also appreciated her bipartisan approach: “I believe there are major issues where Americans across the political spectrum should be able to find common ground,” she told us. “The health and well-being of our children is one of them. Regardless of party, we should all want our kids to have access to healthy food and to grow up with clean air, clean water, and healthy soil. Those are not Republican values or Democratic values — they are fundamental to the health and future of our communities.”
We differ with her on her support for Donald Trump’s tariffs, though, although she did say her support was nuanced. Elsewhere, in conversation, she outlined several other departures from Trumpian rhetoric and Republican orthodoxy with which we agree, and that should appeal to independents (and there are many) in this district.
In conversation, Oakley told us that she meets initial resistance when she says the word “Republican,” especially in the city, but said she has managed to change several minds when she describes her independence. She also said that her extensive international experience in the corporate sector compensates for any lack of national political experience.
With limited campaign funds compared to Ramirez, Oakley has a very tough path to victory. But she has our support.
Angel Oakley is endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois general election here.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email [email protected].
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