Rachel Ventura
Democrat | Illinois
Candidate Profile*
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Rachel Ventura
Party
Democrat
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
State Senator, Dist. 43
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Candidate did not provide
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS*
*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
LIBERAL (18)
*National Organization for Women (NOW) PAC
*SEIU HCII
*Illinois State AFL-CIO
Equality Illinois
Planned Parenthood Illinois Action
OTHER (4)
*Humane Society Legislative Fund
Indo-American Democratic Organization (IADO)
*United Hellenic Voters of America
*International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Elisabeth Epps (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Elisabeth Epps (2022)
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (2018)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Women should have full autonomy over their bodies. There is nothing more consequential than having a child, and women should be able to choose when and where they start their families, full stop.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Disagree
Abortion is healthcare, and the government should cover it just like any other procedure. Federal, state and local governments have an obligation to meet the medical needs of their constituents, and that includes abortion.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Strongly Agree
Euthenasia and assisted suicide should be up to the families and the individual, not the government. End of life care can be as expensive as it is inhumane, and if the family and individual feel that assisted suicide is the most humane course of action, they shouldn’t be forced to endure great pain or face prosecution.
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
The wealthy need to pay their fair share. While middle class Americans have struggled to meet their basic needs these last 10 years, the wealthiest among us have prospered in a tax environment that rewards the rich and penalizes everybody else. We must make taxation more equitable, and taxing the richest among us is a necessary first step in building a sustainable social safety net. The first and most obvious move is to close the loopholes that let the wealthy get out of paying taxes. Second, I would increase taxes on assets directly and support a higher tax rate on the top earners; in the 50s we had a 70% rate for the highest earning bracket, and we must make the millionaire class go back to paying its fair share.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Corporations have bled our government dry, and beating back their corruption would get American spending back under control.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Agree
I fully support free public education. Community colleges and state schools are great value and even greater agents of social mobility, and making them available to everyone would make the American workforce more competitive and egalitarian.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Agree
Your religion doesn’t give you the right to discriminate. Prejudice against marginalized communities has been framed as an "individual liberty" for far too long, and all people have the right to equal treatment and fair service.
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
I support temporarily closing down a church in two scenarios, and both are to protect the congregants. The first scenario is all too familiar, and that is a pandemic where gathering in-person poses a threat to everyone who attends. The second is under a credible threat of violence, like in the case of many threatening phone calls or recurring hate messages plastered on a church.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option - Healthcare is a human right, and a Medicare for all system would have the best health outcomes and be the most affordable. It would pool all patients together and give the government enormous leverage in negotiating prices down. We see similar systems all across Western Europe and Scandinavia, and they have better health outcomes while also spending less money. Medicare is enormously popular, and the constituents I’ve spoken to want more coverage from Medicare, not less. Without private insurers, there wouldn’t be any surprise fees or ridiculous exclusions: just good healthcare, plain and simple. To pay for it, we would raise taxes on the highest earners and wealthiest households, and the extra taxes to fund “Medicare for all” would be much cheaper than what we pay now for premiums and deductibles. I’ve seen it firsthand: my first job out of college was as an actuary for insurance companies, and I saw how the American healthcare system has been warped to profit off the sick. So enough with the pricegouging. It’s time to get the healthcare industry back in line, and you do that through Medicare for all.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
While I fully encourage individuals to get vaccinated I believe that there are certain areas where vaccine mandates may be justified, such as with hospital workers.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
Did not answer
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Did not answer
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Disagree
I do not support spending more to militarize the southern border - instead, immigrants should be embraced, allowed to work, and given a path to citizenship.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
The United States must adopt a more reasonable and attainable path towards citizenship for all undocumented immigrants who want to pursue a life here. I support upholding and expanding the DACA program because people who came to the United States as a minor contribute so much and should feel welcome in this country. The only people who benefit from undocumented immigrants living in the shadows are unscrupulous employers, often temp agencies and agriculture/meat conglomerates who seek to exploit those workers for low wages. Offering them a reasonable pathway towards citizenship makes it more difficult for employers to prey on these individuals. In short, immigrants should be celebrated for their contributions, not excluded because of their place of birth.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Neutral
I support an adequate and equitable funding formula at the state level for schools to relieve high property taxes and create more opportunities for every child in IL. I oppose siphoning public dollars to for profit private and charter schools. We need to focus on increasing the quality of public education, not divert resources away.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Choose not to answer
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Agree
Transgender people have faced enough strife, and protecting them as a marginalized group is paramount. The trans community contributes so much to our culture and society, and they deserve equal treatment and opportunities.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition
Strongly Disagree
Marriage does not have to be between one man and one woman. Religion should not empower the government to restrict who’s allowed to love who, and LBGTQ+ individuals deserve equal treatment under the law.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Agree
Racism is the sad backdrop of American history, but that doesn’t have to continue. Institutions can and should be reformed to be more inclusive and to work for everyone, and we do that by carrying forward the American principles that include and uplift people and by reinspecting the principles that don’t.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Did not answer
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Agree
I do not support voter ID laws. Sadly, cynical lawmakers have identified that marginalized communities and people of color are less likely to have photo identification and are capitalizing to make the government work only for themselves. America is not having a crisis of widespread voter fraud, and this thinly veiled attempt to exclude people through voter ID laws should not be tolerated.
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
My primary goal is to make government work for everyone. Everyone has the right to vote, and we cannot let cynical lawmakers make politically advantageous changes to disenfranchise voters. Inevitably it’s marginalized communities and people of color that get left out, so I believe in making voting as accessible as possible. Early voting, mail in ballots, and generous voting times at numerous in person voting locations is the only way to ensure that everyone gets their say.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Yes, racism is a domestic security threat. The FBI has identified white supremacist and extremist libertarian groups as America’s greatest domestic terror threat, and for good reason. From the horrors in Charlottesville to the violence of January 6th, radical right wing groups have shown their ability to radicalize and mobilize their members. Empowered and well-armed, racist extremists are a huge threat to a peaceful United States.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Agree
I support reparations, and we must ensure that any reparations are distributed fairly and equitably.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
Greenhouse gas emissions are rising rapidly - transitioning to green energy is going to require a robust investment from the federal government, but it is absolutely worth the cost. Federal resources should be directed towards homeowners and business owners who want to make their homes and businesses more energy efficient, buy an electric vehicle or fleet of vehicles, and make decisions to reduce their carbon footprints. These are the concepts outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act, which I support and that is set to reduce US carbon emissions by 40% by 2030. The long term savings from lower emissions and up front mitigation will be in the trillions, and this is exactly the kind of thing only a government can do.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Strongly Disagree
No - I am an avid supporter of the green energy transition. Worse still, compared to other drilling methods, fracking releases more toxic chemicals into the ground, pollutes water reservoirs, and even causes thousands of tiny earthquakes.
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
The government’s job is to foster a fair society where people can meet their basic needs. Human flourishing requires the support and “in this together” mindset that comprise government, and as such, the government has a role to play in protecting consumers and taxpayers from abuse and egregious inequality. Finally, the government must be guided by its constituents and give a voice to everyone, no matter their position.
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Liberal
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20220603/democratic-43rd-state-senate-candidates-have-different-priorities https://thesouthlandjournal.com/ventura-picks-up-her-fourth-endorsement-from-a-pro-choice-organization/
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
I'm running for State Senate in the Illinois 43rd District because working families need a strong voice pushing policies that help the middle and working class. I get it, we are all in this together. However, our political system currently works for the wealthy few and not the majority. It doesn't have to be this way. I believe government should work for EVERYONE! As your next Senator I will fight for economic justice and help close the wealth gap. I will vote on policies that strengthen the middle class, create jobs, invest in our infrastructure, provide renewable energy, and eliminate emissions that harm our planet.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Strongly Disagree
No, officers should not be able to escape accountability via qualified immunity. They are responsible for every life they take, and these lenient arrangements make it impossible to seek accountability in law enforcement. If we have learned anything from the past years, it is that we cannot overlook police brutality in the name of “justice”. It’s reported that in Illinois, anywhere between 70 -100 serious injuries occur due to adverse police interactions annually, a worrying statistic that I plan
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Neutral
Community programs and mental health support are an integral part of nurturing our community. We need to provide this without defunding the police.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Universal background checks, common sense restrictions and adequate mental health services for at-risk kids will all help curb gun violence. At a minimum, we should heavily restrict access to assault weapons and outlaw bump stocks and high capacity magazines altogether. I would also support a waiting period requirement for those attempting to buy a firearm to mitigate heat-of-the-moment choices. I am not advocating for a blanket ban on all guns, but we must enact practical measures to make Illinois safer for everyone.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Agree
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue gun makers. Decades of predatory sales and marketing materials that glorify violence have contributed to this current crisis, and they should not be able to escape accountability.
