Joseph “Joey” Ruzevich: 2026 candidate for 6th Congressional District

Bio

Party: Democratic

Office sought: 6th Congressional District

City: Chicago

Age: 29

Occupation: Software engineer/small business owner

Previous offices held: None

Q&A

What is your top issue and how do you propose to address it?

Cost of living is the most pressing concern affecting people in my district. Housing, utilities, healthcare and groceries have skyrocketed due to a multitude of issues — one being consolidation of corporate power. We must break up monopolies in order to restore competition and keep down prices.

Housing has quickly become one of the most unaffordable necessities in America. The anchor of the American Dream is completely out of reach for millions of people. Congress must take swift action to build new housing across our nation, prevent corporations and private equity firms from buying entire neighborhoods, and provide financial assistance to first-time homebuyers.

The federal minimum wage has been at $7.25 since 2009. This is a poverty wage in every state in the country. We must provide a living wage for workers. The extended child tax credit of 2020 lifted 50% of children out of poverty and should never have been allowed to expire.

Paid maternity leave should be written into law with tax credits provided to companies to offset the maintained salaries. Congress must act now so millions of Americans are not priced out of having a family.

Do you support the unilateral foreign policy course President Trump has taken with such actions as the bombing of Iran, assaults on Venezuelan ships and the seizure of the Venezuelan president?

Trump has begun an imperialistic campaign with goals of regime change and stealing natural resources. He is trying to dominate by force rather than diplomacy. Congress must rein in the power of the President by reasserting their authority under the War Powers Act. The repeated extrajudicial killings of Venezuelan boat crews violated international law. Trump then orchestrated a coup in Venezuela, forcibly removed their leader, and arraigned Maduro and his wife. The Trump administration did not even hide that their motivations were not only about regime change, but also because they wanted to seize the oil.

Trump immediately pivoted to trying to take Greenland, partly because he wanted to claim their raw materials and partly because he was mad he didn’t win the Nobel Peace Prize. Then there is Iran, where he is also eyeing a regime change war to get his hands on their oil. This is unacceptable and dangerous. Too many in Congress are not treating this situation with the urgency it requires. I will be a voice for peace and diplomacy in Congress. No wars should be instigated without the consent of Congress, and international law and human rights must be upheld.

The executive branch has expanded its powers in recent years on foreign policy, economic tariffs, executive orders and more. Are you satisfied with the direction these activities are moving? If so, why? If not, what needs to be done differently?

The Trump administration has acted with total disregard to the Constitution and the checks and balances of government. They are attacking the right to free speech and the right to protest. The President has basically declared war on cities throughout the country. ICE is grabbing random people and killing U.S citizens, with full backing from Trump shielding them from any consequences.

Tariffs can serve a purpose when implemented correctly, but his use of tariffs has been haphazard and based on personal grievances rather than what is best for the country. U.S. manufacturing declined precipitously in 2025. Congress has abdicated its responsibility to pass legislation to keep Trump in check.

When Democrats win back control of Congress, it is imperative that we use that power to legislate to block Trump’s harmful initiatives and executive orders and protect people’s rights. That includes proactive legislation like codifying women’s reproductive rights into law that should have been done years ago.

Regardless of who is in power, members of Congress must use every tool at their disposal including the bully pulpit to fight back against abuses of power.

What should U.S. border policy be? If elected, what would you do to make it happen?

I think about the quote on the Statue of Liberty often — one I’m sure my grandfather saw when he arrived as an immigrant on Ellis Island — which reads “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free … ” This is the spirit of America I grew up believing in. We need complete and comprehensive immigration reform.

For too long, Congress has been kicking the can down the road, leading us to the situation we have today where many do not have a viable pathway to become a citizen. They have created the problem at the border in part by making the legal immigration and refugee process so difficult.

Additionally, Dreamers (DACA) were brought here as children and for many of them, this is the only country they have really known. We should expedite the citizenship process for them so that they can become full citizens. There is a huge backlog of visa applications from several countries due to immigration quotas, leading to extensive waiting periods of a decade or more. We should continue to accept asylum-seekers and refugees, but we need to address the shortage of qualified immigration judges so that we can evaluate asylum claims promptly.

What should be the government’s role in assuring health care for Americans? What should be done regarding the ACA to better perform this function?

I support Medicare for All. 500,000 American families file for bankruptcy each year due to medical bills, while 45,000 Americans die because they can’t afford healthcare. Most other developed countries have universal healthcare. They do this because they realize it leads to better health outcomes and they spend less per person on healthcare than we do. Medicare for All is also a pro-business policy. People are often prevented from changing jobs or starting their own companies because their healthcare is tied to their job.

Medicare for All would increase entrepreneurship and the ability of small businesses to compete to hire top talent. Doctors have to waste hours every week arguing with insurance companies to get them to cover necessary care for their patients. We need a stable system that covers everyone, but during the transition there are several things we can do to improve healthcare.

We need to expand Medicare so that it is full coverage. We need to negotiate all drug prices with manufacturers, not just a select few. We can also provide a public option until a more stable cost-effective system like Medicare for All is fully in place.

What is your vision for a solution to conflicts involving Israel and the Palestinians? What should the United States be doing to advance this position?

This issue is of utmost importance as the 6th district has the largest population of Palestinian Americans in the country, and their current representative has turned a blind eye to their very real concerns about their family members in Gaza and the West Bank.

We shouldn’t be providing weapons to countries that are violating human rights or blocking humanitarian aid. That’s why I support Congresswoman Ramirez’s Block the Bombs Act. Sadly, despite numerous pleas from his constituents, my opponent has refused to use his leverage to stop the bloodshed.

Trump is now selling seats on his “Gaza Board of Peace” to the highest bidder, but the Palestinian people themselves have been sidelined. The Israeli government is still blocking supplies, demolishing buildings, civilians (including children) are still being killed, and prominent aid groups like Doctors Without Borders are being banned. We must build a coalition in Congress to prevent any additional weapons or money from being sent to Israel until massive humanitarian aid enters Gaza & the illegal settlements in the West Bank are stopped.