On the candidates: Illinois 8th Congressional District

Jeremy Cohen and Ben Williams
October 28, 2020

U.S. House of Representatives

  • Illinois District 8
    • Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democrat) (incumbent)
    • Preston Nelson (Libertarian)

If a position has an asterisk (*) at the end, it means that the candidate’s personal stance was not clear, and that position belongs to the candidate’s political party.

 

Economics:

 

Taxes on the rich Federal minimum wage Corporate taxes and bailouts Welfare COVID-19 Economic Recovery Social Security
Krishnamoorthi  Raise Raise  Raise corporate taxes  Decrease restrictions No official stance Government shouldn’t raise the retirement age
Nelson  Won’t raise any taxes. No, and eliminate all wage standards* Lower taxes* Increase restrictions* End the shutdown, and the economy will bounce back.  Claims it is “Social Insecurity” and wants the government to fix it

Domestic Policy

 

Gun policy Abortion policy Drug rehabilitation Transgender rights Veterans’ Affairs
Krishnamoorthi  Supports common sense gun laws to keep guns out of the wrong hands.  Pro choice Proposes to establish the National Opioid Safety Fund and Database. This will meant to create the funding to create a national Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Transgender people should have the same rights as cisgender people.  Establish a support system to ensure veterans have access to education, good jobs, health care, mental health services, and also provides support for the veteran’s family. 
Nelson  People will start using guns more responsibly if the government is not involved.  No subsidies or restrictions* End the war on drugs Transgender people should have the same rights as cisgender people. * Replace the VA healthcare system with a personal health savings account*

 

Criminal Justice

 

Police reform Death penalty Marijuana possession Prison reform Prostitution & Sex Work
Krishnamoorthi  Police officers should be required to wear body cameras. Opposes Decriminalize; send possessors to rehab; end minimum sentencing for drugs End for-profit prisons; expand post-prison opportunities* No official stance
Nelson  Funding should be directed for social and community based programs, and abolish the police* Opposes Decriminalize; send possessors to rehab; end minimum sentencing for drugs* Keep harmless people out of prison by legalizing victimless crimes like drug possession* Legalize all sex work*

 

Immigration

 

Border security Sanctuary cities Immigration quotas + requirements Deportation ICE & detention centers
Krishnamoorthi  The U.S. should not increase restrictions on border security policy.  Maintain funding. Expand acceptance of asylum seekers* Previously supported mass deportation; current stance unclear* Keep stays in detention centers brief*
Nelson  Open border policy.* Take away funding.*  Make it easier for immigrants to enter the country, and to get work visas* No official stance Abolish ICE*

 

Education

 

College tuition + debt forgiveness Affirmative Action Public school funding + teacher salaries School choice Universal preschool
Krishnamoorthi  Increase taxes for the rich to reduce student loans, and the federal government should pay for tuition at four-year colleges and universities. Expand affirmative action Increase funding to public schools & negotiate higher salaries for public school teachers* Opposes taxpayer-funded private school vouchers* Supports
Nelson  Make all student loans interest free Opposes* Maintain funding* Reduce government barriers against private schools* Opposes*

 

Environment

 

Climate action  Green New Deal Disposable plastics Fracking Alternative energy
Krishnamoorthi  Government should increase environmental regulations Supports* Ban plastics that contain less than 50% of biodegradable material Does not support fracking.  Reduce cost of solar energy and make clean energy a more financially viable option for families
Nelson  People will innovate towards the direction of a clean planet Opposes* Don’t ban plastics* Supports* No subsidies or restrictions on alternative energy*

 

Elections

 

Felon voting rights Undocumented immigrant voting rights Electoral College Minimum voting age Ranked- choice voting
Krishnamoorthi  Supports No official stance Opposes Maintain No official stance
Nelson  Supports* No official stance Opposes* Maintain* Supports*