Our choices for legislative races in Senate districts 21, 42; House districts 53,54
Senate District 21: Ellman
Voters in Illinois Senate District 21 and House districts 41 and 42 will be choosing from a field of qualified candidates.
In Senate District 21, incumbent Democrat Laura Ellman, of Naperville, is seeking a third term. Republican Julie Berkowicz, a Will County Board member since 2018, is challenging her for the seat.
Ellman believes the best way to lower property taxes is to reform school funding by reexamining the outcomes and refining the model. Berkowicz, also of Naperville, supports a 1% cap on all levies and backs school choice. Ellman has earned our endorsement in the past, and she’s done nothing to change our mind. Ellman is endorsed.
House District 41: Gupta
In House District 41, incumbent Democrat Janet Yang Rohr of Naperville is facing a challenge from Republican newcomer Ajay Gupta, also of Naperville, after running unopposed in 2024.
Yang Rohr, who works in investment research at Morningstar, is seeking her third term in Springfield. Before serving in the legislature, she served on the Naperville Unit District 203 school board. She currently chairs the House Personnel & Pensions Committee. Gupta is a tax attorney with an impressive resume. On property taxes, Yang Rohr wants to find new funding to ease the burden on homeowners. Gupta supports having the state assume control of teacher-pension costs to keep local money in the classroom. Both candidates have the kind of backgrounds you want in elected officials. While we don’t agree with Gupta on everything, we think his financial expertise and fresh voice would benefit Springfield. Gupta is endorsed.
House District 42: DeLaRosa
In House District 42, Democrat Margaret DeLaRosa, appointed in October 2025 to fill the seat vacated by Terra Costa Howard, faces a challenge from Republican Stephanie Trussell. DeLaRosa, of Glen Ellyn, has served on the District 87 school board since 2015. If elected, she has promised to step down from the board. Trussell, of Lisle, was Darren Bailey’s running mate for governor in 2022. She opposes the SAFE-T Act and Illinois’ sanctuary laws. DeLaRosa would like to amend the SAFE-T Act, including stronger enforcement of electronic monitoring. DeLaRosa earned our endorsement in the primary, and we feel like she deserves a full term in office. DeLaRosa is endorsed.
House Districts 55, 56
House District 55: Cochran
In the Illinois House races in districts 55 and 56, we looked for substantive knowledge of state issues, practical proposals rather than slogans and a demonstrated willingness to address Illinois’ difficult problems. We also value candidates who understand how decisions in Springfield affect local taxpayers and communities, and whose experience gives voters a meaningful basis for evaluating their approach to governing.
In District 55, incumbent Democrat Justin Cochran has begun developing a legislative record since taking office in 2025. His work on housing, insurance and property-tax relief, along with his willingness to reconsider specific aspects of the SAFE-T Act, reflects an incremental approach to state policy. Republican challenger Joseph Johnson offers a more sweeping alternative, emphasizing lower taxes, reduced spending, fewer regulations and consolidation of local government. His focus on spending restraint and public safety gives voters a clear contrast with Cochran’s approach.
Cochran, however, has demonstrated a willingness to engage with specific policy problems rather than simply call for broad reductions in government. That, along with his track record of governing, earns him our endorsement.
House District 56: Mussman
In District 56, incumbent Democrat Michelle Mussman has represented the district since 2011, giving her 15 years of experience in Springfield and a substantial legislative record. Republican challenger Rhys Read brings nine years as a Des Plaines library trustee and more than four decades of experience in finance and pensions.
At a recent League of Women Voters forum, the candidates offered notably different approaches to state finances, immigration, the SAFE-T Act and data centers. Mussman emphasized education and health care funding and continued evaluation of state programs, while Read called for greater spending restraint, pension changes and stronger immigration enforcement.
Read’s financial and local government experience is valuable, but Mussman’s lengthy record representing the district and her continued attention to its priorities make her the stronger choice. Mussman is endorsed.
House districts 55 and 56 make up Senate District 28, which is not open for election this year.
Senate District 42: Perez
No matter the outcome of the election, Illinois Senate District 42 will see a change of representation come November. After winning the March primary, longtime Democratic incumbent Linda Holmes of Aurora announced in June that she will be retiring due to progressive health issues.
The two contestants in the race — retired Batavia police officer Edgardo “Eddie” Perez, the Republican, and longtime Bolingbrook teacher Jared Ploger, the Democrat, both of Aurora — come into it from careers in community service, and in particular, devotions to improving young lives that are downright inspiring. Despite their sharp differences in political philosophy, it is clear to us that each candidate is genuinely committed to trying to help make the world a better place.
In addition to his work in law enforcement, Perez has used his interest in martial arts to support at-risk youth. In addition to teaching, Ploger served previously on the Oswego Unit District 308 school board. Kudos to them both.
Neither is a perfect candidate. Perez's expertise is a little too law enforcement-centric and he's not as astute as he needs to be on other issues. We're concerned that Ploger's role as president of Valley View Council Local 604 of the American Federation of Teachers presents inevitable conflicts in dealing with the state's significant public pension issues.
But we are impressed by Perez' personal story and how his experience has taught him to see issues as gray rather than black and white. He wants to fight past our divisions and to be a unifying legislator. That's no small task, but he should be given a chance to try. We endorse his candidacy.
House District 83: Rodriguez
In House District 83, Democratic incumbent Matt Hanson, a former Kane County Board member from Montgomery, is running for his third term against Republican Jesse Rodriguez, a small-business owner from Aurora.
Hanson's performance in Springfield has been adequate but not distinguished. Rodriguez got into the race out of his frustrations with Springfield's approach to small business. His campaign is centered on improving the business climate and restraining government overreach. He has our endorsement.
House District 84: Scopa
For the House District 84 seat now held by Stephanie Kifowit, Democratic DuPage County Board member Saba Haider of Aurora is running against Republican Brian Scopa, a retired U.S. Navy commander from Naperville. Haider possesses great energy, but she seems relentlessly looking toward the next office.
It was only two years ago that she was elected to the county board on her second try (after previously running for a school board). We suggest she focus for now on completing her county board term.
Scopa is thoughtful and measured with a campaign message that he's “the discipline Springfield is missing.” He strikes us as the kind of Republican the General Assembly could use, and we endorse his candidacy.