Endorsement: Santa Maria for Illinois Senate Dist. 27

In Senate District 27, House District 53 and House District 54, voters will notice that the candidates bring notably different combinations of local government, professional and Springfield experience to questions of affordability, public services and fiscal policy.

In Senate District 27, Democrat Carina Santa Maria brings more than 15 years working with children and families, nonprofit leadership and experience as an Arlington Heights trustee. Her background managing complex budgets and human-services programs gives her a useful combination of local government and policy experience. Republican David Mathis brings military and private sector leadership, with a focus on fiscal discipline and public safety, but no elected office experience. Santa Maria’s record offers a broader direct connection to government and community needs. She is endorsed.