Nick Pyati: 2026 candidate for 9th Congressional District

Bio

Office sought: 9th Congressional District

City: Evanston

Age: 43

Occupation: Technology strategy

Previous offices held: None

Q&A

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

The single most pressing issue is that we have a destructive, outlaw administration in office, and the Democratic Party has been losing support for a decade. Even as Trump's approval slides, it remains higher than ours, and we're still running on the same platform that’s been failing.

My priority is building a winning Democratic Party capable of taking back the White House in 2028 and defeating MAGA for a generation. We need a new vision to do that.

The issues facing our district — economic anxiety, ICE raids in our streets, loss of healthcare access — can't be solved until we remove MAGA from the White House. In Congress, I won't just perform resistance. I'll propose legislation that shows Americans a vision that can draw new voters without sacrificing our values: innovation and scientific progress, economic growth that creates the capacity for progressive goals, and overhauling education so all Americans can compete in the twenty-first century. These aren't departures from Democratic values — they're the foundation that made previous progressive victories possible. We have to offer Americans a positive, expansive future.

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?

Absolutely not. I worked in federal law enforcement, and I know that the rule of law and constitutional separation of powers aren't luxuries. They're foundational to American governance and national security. Trump's Venezuela action is illegal: it violates both the Constitution and international law.

The reason Congress has to declare war isn't a procedural nicety. It's because military action draws American soldiers into potentially protracted, violent struggle. That decision belongs to the democratic representation of the country, not one person. American soldiers may fight and die in Venezuela as a result of one man's illegal choice rather than the considered judgment of Congress.

More broadly, Trump's approach is weakening America globally. By pulling out of international commitments, antagonizing allies, and closing off markets, he's pushing nations toward competitors and undermining the rules-based international order that protects democracy and territorial sovereignty.

I want the twenty-first century to be a new American century, but we need to earn that through strength, alliances, and leadership — not cede it through reckless and unconstitutional action.

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?

I am deeply unsatisfied. This administration has systematically violated federal law and dangerously expanded executive power. The tariffs exemplify the problem: Trump uses emergency authorities he doesn't have, imposing trade barriers that damage American businesses, workers, and consumers while contradicting basic economic principles.

The problem isn't that the law is unclear, it's that this administration ignores the law. Sometimes it invokes loopholes, but often it baldly asserts authority. Making the law more explicit might slow the administration down, but it won't stop them. Similarly, Congress can hold up appropriations and use leverage on budgets, but the hard truth is that we can't legislate our way out of an administration committed to breaking the law. We have to build a coalition large enough to win back the White House and ensure we never elect leaders like this again. That's the fight we're in.

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

What we're seeing with ICE raids across the country is abhorrent and un-American. I've been actively resisting — rallying, making whistle kits, driving my neighborhood to warn when agents are reported. It's personal because people who look like me and, more importantly, my own children have been targeted in these raids. That's not law enforcement; that's terror in our streets.

Border policy should focus on borders and points of entry, not raids in residential neighborhoods. It should target violent criminals and trafficking organizations, not families and workers who strengthen our economy. ICE's reputation is beyond repair, so I support disbanding it and transferring functions to agencies with proper oversight and accountability standards.

I support a pathway to citizenship for otherwise law-abiding undocumented immigrants. This was once bipartisan, and it should be again. But we have to be honest: anti-immigrant sentiment is MAGA's non-negotiable core. They'll compromise on nearly anything except cruelty toward immigrants. The most important thing we can do to protect immigrant communities is defeat them and take back federal power.

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?

Government has a responsibility to ensure all Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare. The ACA was an important step, but while it covered millions, it has not been able to finish the job. I support a public option that allows Americans to choose a government-administered plan. This creates competition with private insurers, drives down costs, and ensures everyone has coverage.

But healthcare is just the beginning of the care revolution we need. As the economy changes and our population ages, we need to expand care into childcare, elder care, mental healthcare, and support for the disabled and higher education.

These programs are difficult to imagine when we already struggle with budget deficits. But the programs that built the middle class, like universal public education, Social Security, and labor protections, would once have been unthinkably unaffordable. We have them now because of a boom in the last century in our economy, which is why I want to invest in emerging technologies that could once again expand our capacity. Taking better care of Americans and allowing them to focus on doing their best work will foster growth and competitiveness.

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?

Both Israelis and Palestinians deserve security, dignity, and self-determination. That principle should guide U.S. policy toward a two-state solution.

The United States should maintain a strong commitment to Israel's security while insisting on protection of Palestinian rights and dignity. We should support diplomatic efforts toward negotiated settlement, use our aid and influence to push parties in that direction, and be honest about human costs on both sides.

It is hard to see the long-term path, as it always has been. In the near term, the United States should use our influence in the region to push for a sustained ceasefire and then toward transitional leadership for Gaza supported by other nations in the region.