Biden Campaign Press Release - Biden for President Announces Key Endorsements from More Than 80 Illinois Leaders

On the heels of a decisive win for Vice President Joe Biden at the Democratic presidential debate in South Carolina, Biden for President announced 82 endorsements from key current and former elected officials, Democratic party leaders, and local community and faith leaders from across Illinois.

Citing their confidence in Joe Biden's ability to unite the party and the country to defeat Donald Trump, Illinois leaders from all 18 congressional districts expressed the need for Joe Biden's leadership on day one to rebuild the middle class and restore the soul of the nation.

"Joe Biden knows firsthand about the struggle working people go through to bring themselves up out of poverty and into the middle class because his family lived that journey — and he's never forgotten where he comes from," said Former Deputy Mayor for the City of Chicago Andy Zopp. "Joe understands what affordable, quality education, job training and health care really mean to workers and families — that they're critical ingredients in a thriving middle class. It's his heart and his experience that make his commitment to rebuilding the middle class so powerful — he doesn't give up on working people and he'll never leave anyone behind."

"I've known Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden for years and I know he is a man of strong character and resolve," said President of Tusk Philanthropies and former Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden Sheila Nix. "I truly believe there's only one person that can save our country from where we are right now, and that's Vice President Biden. I am proud to endorse Joe and I know he is the right man for the job."

"I'm a union girl, so the fact that Joe Biden is union from his belt buckle to his boot sole is important to me," said Vice Chair of the Democrat Party of Illinois and State Central Committeewoman for the 15th Congressional District, Vice Chair of the Saline County Democrats, and Precinct Committeeman Vivian Robinson. "Joe has always been with labor because blue collar America isn't just where he comes from — it's who he is. That's why he's always fought to protect our rights and for the decent wages and quality education, health care and job training opportunities we deserve. Joe knows that our economy isn't working for working people when it takes multiple jobs to make ends meet — and that we can do better. Joe Biden will fight for our workers, our families, and for the strong middle class this country deserves."

"I'm proud to endorse Joe Biden because he has had a long, steady career of fighting for working families and to build a stronger middle class," said Illinois State Representative Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-District 7). "Joe Biden is also the one Democratic candidate who can appeal across all demographic groups and beat Donald Trump in November. I'm with Joe!"

"Joe knows how to make the federal government work for working people — in ways that make a real difference in their everyday lives," said Conlon & Dunn Partner and Former General Counsel to U.S. Senator Paul Simon (D-IL) Chris Dunn. "Now more than ever, our country needs leadership that can appeal to the best in our fellow citizens and repair our trust in each other."

"Joe Biden always has and always will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Latino community because he fundamentally believes that immigrants and new Americans are what make this country great," said Illinois State Senator and Assistant Majority Leader Iris Martinez. "Joe has always fought for the dignity of all working people — no matter where you come from, and he'll continue to fight for the opportunities from quality, affordable health care and education to job training and better, fairer housing every individual and family deserves."

The full list of endorsements today include:

• Sheila Nix, President of Tusk Philanthropies and former Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden
• Andrea Zopp, Former Deputy Mayor for the City of Chicago
• Iris Martinez, Illinois State Senator, 20th District and Assistant Majority Leader
• Emanuel "Chris" Welch, Illinois State Representative, 7th District
• Christopher Dunn, Conlon & Dunn Partner and former General Counsel to Sen. Paul Simon
• Vivian Robinson, Vice Chair of the Democrat Party of Illinois and State Central Committeewoman for the 15th Congressional District, Vice Chair of the Saline County Democrats, and Precinct Committeeman
• Pat Quinn, Former Illinois Governor
• Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Chicago City Treasurer
• Pat Dowell, Chicago Alderman and Committeeperson, 3rd Ward
• Roderick T. Sawyer, Chicago Alderman, 6th Ward
• Michelle A. Harris, Chicago Alderman and Democratic Committeeperson, 8th Ward
• Patrick Daley Thompson, Chicago Alderman, 11th Ward
• Christopher Taliaferro, Chicago Alderman and Committeemen, 29th Ward
• Ariel Reboyras, Chicago Alderman and Democratic Committeeperson, 30th Ward
• Emma Mitts, Chicago Alderman and Committeeperson, 37th Ward
• Brendan Reilly, Chicago Alderman, 42nd Ward and City Council President Pro Tempore
• Patrick O'Connor, Former Chicago Alderman, 40th Ward
• Julie Morrison, Illinois State Senator, 29th District
• Steve Stadelman, Illinois State Senator, 34th District
• Chris Belt, Illinois State Senator, 57th District
• Curtis Tarver, Illinois State Representative 25th District
• Nick Smith, Illinois State Representative, 34th District
• Fred Crespo, Illinois State Representative, 44th District, Assistant House Majority Leader
• Martin Moylan, Illinois State Representative, 55th District
• Jonathan Carroll, Illinois State Representative, 57th District
• Sue Scherer, Illinois State Representative, 96th District
• Jay Hoffman, Illinois State Representative, 113th District
• LaToya Greenwood, Illinois State Representative, 114th District
• Kristopher Anderson, Democratic Activist
• Tim Egan, Chicago Democratic Committeeperson, 2nd Ward
• Lucy Moog, Chicago Democratic Committeeperson, 43rd Ward
• Reyahd Kazmi, Entrepreneur and Youth Advocate
• Deborah Lane, Financial Secretary-Treasurer, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308
• Timothy Wright III, Community Activist
• Vernard Alsberry, Mayor of Hazel Crest
• Kevin E. O'Gorman, Political Director, Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters
• Mariyana Spyropoulos, Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
• Rory Hoskins, Mayor of Forest Park
• Ken Harris, Will County Board Member, 4th District
• John Gulley, Franklin County Board Member, 1st District
• Mark Guethle, North Aurora Village Trustee
• Marc Poulos, Labor Leader
• Billy Halstead, Peoria County Democratic Chair
• Matt Cain, Clinton County Board Member and Clinton County Democratic Chair
• Kyle R. Hastings, Mayor of Orland Hills
• Cynthia Santos, State Central Committeeperson, 5th District
• Elizabeth Penesis, Former State Central Committeeperson
• Kathleen Griffin, Educator and Union Leader
• Steve Shetsky, Service Representative International Association of Fire Fighters
• Amanda Howland, Trustee at College of Lake County, Attorney
• Thomas Maillard, Young Democrats of Illinois, National Committeeman
• Barrett Pederson, Mayor of Franklin Park
• Jill Wine-Banks, MSNBC Legal Analyst and Author
• Maureen Pikarski, Co-Chair of the DNC's Ethnic Coordinating Council
• Michael W. Smith, President, Kankakee Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
• Victor Shi, Youth Activist
• Syerra Cunningham, Youth Activist
• Marcia Blumenthal Fields, Executive Committee Member, New Trier Democrats
• Vincent Casillas, Former Hispanic Communications Director for Obama for America 08 and CEO Casillas Strategies
• Lauren Staley Ferry, Will County Clerk
• Amy Sipovic Boyles, Former LaSalle County Democratic Chair
• Emmanuel Llamas, Aurora Alderman, 1st Ward
• Claudia Rodriguez, Democratic Activist
• Nancy Rotering, Mayor of City of Highland Park
• Miriam Smith, Labor Leader
• Jeff Deppe, Rock Island County Board Member, District 9
• Pam Davidson, Knox County Board Member, District 3
• Wendy LaFauce, Retired Educator
• Aurora Austriaco, District 207 School Board Member
• Sonia Desai Bhagwakar, Community Leader
• Nazneen Hashmi, Deputy Committeeperson for Hanover Township, Community Organizer
• Laura Hepp Kessel, Fulton County Board Member
• Ashwin Puri, Youth Activist
• Jimmy Chau, Firefighter
• Ertharin Cousins, Former Permanent Representative to UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Former Executive Director UN World Food Program, Founder and CEO Food Systems for The Future
• Natalie Phelps Finnie, Health Care Advocate, APRN, FNP-BC
• Marrice Coverson, Pastor of the Church of the Spirit in Chicago
• Jorge Perez, Executive Director of Hispanic American Construction Industry Association
• Marcelino Garcia, Commissioner Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
• Ellen Schanzle-Haskins, Sprinfield Lawyer and Labor Leader
• Sherry Tite, Wood River Township Clerk
• Jay Briney, Vice President, Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association, and Mason County Democratic Chair

Illinois leaders who have previously endorsed Biden include Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10), Congressman Danny Davis (IL-7), and former Senator and Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun. Biden for President has previously announced more than 1,400 endorsements from national, state, and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, community leaders, and national security professionals.