U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, 49, easily defeated her Democratic primary opponent, a sign of this incumbent’s strong standing in the 13th District, which includes St. Clair, Madison, Sangamon, Piatt, Macon and Champaign counties. She received our endorsement in the primary as a pragmatic Democrat with bipartisan bona fides. If Democrats take the House, Budzinski, vice chair for policy for the New Democrat Coalition, will likely wield influence. The New Democrats are widely considered the moderate, pro-growth wing of the party, with a focus on fiscal responsibility and problem-solving. Budzinski is positioned to take over as leader.
Budzinski is campaigning on the many failings of the Trump administration. We believe she will turn her attention to getting things done in D.C. should she win reelection. She is politically deft, having served in the administrations of former President Joe Biden and Gov. JB Pritzker. In an election cycle where many Democrats advocate for Medicare for All, Budzinski is not. She told us, “I believe we need a secure border,” but decried the aggressive tactics of ICE and Border Patrol under the Trump administration.
Her opponent is Republican Jeff Wilson, 72. We endorsed Joshua Loyd in the March Republican primary, preferring his more moderate approach to Wilson’s Trump-aligned positioning, though we do appreciate Wilson’s focus on fiscal restraint, his support for state sovereignty and his approach to working across party lines in his role as a Champaign County Board member. For Republican voters dissatisfied with current representation, Wilson offers a conservative alternative. Still, we are uncomfortable with his historically strong support of the Trump agenda, and see Budzinski as a political star on the rise.
Nikki Budzinski is endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois general election here.
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