Quigley for Democrats in Congress, Dist. 5
Mike Quigley has been the 5th district congressman for 17 years, and in that time has earned a reputation of being a plain-spoken, principled representative and a valuable political ally to residents of his district. The district has changed shape considerably in those 17 years, now taking in a large section of the Northwest suburbs as far out as the Barrington area and beyond into Lake and McHenry counties, but we still consider him to be a good representative for the area, which over the years has gradually become bluer and Democratic-leaning.
He complains that the affordability of the three pillars of the American Dream — homeownership, education and health care — remain out of reach for too many people and that President Trump’s policies have widened the gap further; and in fact, that Trump’s tariffs and ICE raids have been worse for small businesses than COVID ever was. He remains a staunch supporter of American assistance for Ukraine, and believes that the U.S. needs to do more to reduce illegal border crossings, arguing that ports of entry need more financial support so that ICE and the Border Patrol can do their jobs effectively, and that assigning the Border Patrol to areas other than the border reduces border security.
Of Quigley’s three challengers, we find Matt Conroy to be the most moderate and well-schooled on the issues. The highlight of his proposed plan of action is to promote universal health care, or Medicare for All, “guaranteeing comprehensive coverage for everyone with no premiums, copays, or deductibles” and focusing on improving health care in underserved and rural communities. More controversially within Democrats, Conroy also calls for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, arguing that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and U.S. aid makes the U.S. complicit.
Still, Conroy is new to politics. Having a seasoned congressman of Quigley’s stature and ability to work across the aisle is too valuable to dismiss. Our only issue with Quigley is he has announced his candidacy for Chicago mayor in 2027, and should he win, he would abandon part of his congressional term. Still, we appreciate his candor about his intentions, and the mayor’s race already has many potential candidates and is a full year away.
The other two candidates for the 5th District congressional seat are Ellen A. Corley, a former teacher, and Anthony Michael Tamez, an elected member of the Chicago Police District Council. Tamez, 26, is Native American (Key First Nation Oji-Cree/Saulteaux and Sicangu Lakota) but has not filled out a questionnaire or attended the Daily Herald endorsement interview. Corley is a progressive candidate, who has actively campaigned using only her own money.
Quigley is endorsed.