Junaid Ahmed: 2026 candidate for the 8th Congressional District

Bio

Party: Democratic

Office sought: 8th Congressional District

City: South Barrington

Age: 50

Occupation: Director

Previous offices held: None

Q&A

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

My top issue is affordability. Working families must be able to afford to live, raise kids, and retire with security. That means lowering the cost of healthcare, housing, education, and everyday necessities, raising wages, and taking on corporate concentration and price-gouging.

In Congress, I’ll fight to expand universal healthcare, invest in affordable housing, raise the minimum wage, and rein in monopolies that are driving up prices.

We cannot keep asking working people to sacrifice while corporations post record profits. It is time for government to put working families first.

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?

No. I strongly oppose this reckless, unilateral approach to foreign policy.

Launching military actions without congressional authorization, escalating conflicts without diplomacy, and treating international law as optional makes the world less safe and undermines our own democracy. These actions risk wider war, harm civilians, and weaken America’s credibility abroad.

Foreign policy should be rooted in diplomacy, human rights, and international cooperation. In Congress, I’ll fight to restore Congressional authority over war and advocate for a foreign policy that leaves behind the failed regime change operations and never-ending wars of our past.

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 not satisfied. Congress has allowed far too much power to shift to the executive branch. In areas like war powers, tariffs, appropriations, and emergency authorities, we’ve seen the Trump administration dramatically overreach with no repercussions.

In Congress, I’ll fight to restore the balance of power by reclaiming constitutional responsibility over declarations of war, trade policy, and oversight of executive actions. No matter their political part, no president should have unchecked power. A functioning democracy requires real checks and balances.

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

I support ending family detention, abolishing private detention centers, and shifting resources away from militarization and toward asylum processing, legal representation, and community-based support. I believe ICE is being used by this administration to terrorize our communities and must be abolished in favor of an entity that actually keeps us safe. We can have border security without armed and masked-men wreaking havoc on our streets.

I will fight for comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship, protects Dreamers and TPS holders, and addresses root causes of migration through diplomacy and economic justice.

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?

Healthcare is a human right, not a privilege.

The government should ensure that everyone can get the care they need without fear of bankruptcy. The Affordable Care Act expanded access, but it still leaves millions uninsured or underinsured and allows corporations to profit off illness.

I support moving toward universal healthcare while immediately strengthening the ACA by expanding subsidies, closing coverage gaps, lowering prescription drug prices, and protecting it from attacks by Republicans and corporate interests.

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?

I believe in a future where Palestinians and Israelis live with equal rights, safety, and dignity.

The United States must support an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the protection of civilians, the release of unlawfully detained individuals, and an end to occupation and blockade. U.S. policy should be guided by international law and human rights, not unconditional military support.

That means conditioning U.S. aid on compliance with human rights standards and actively supporting a just political solution that guarantees freedom, self-determination, and security for all people in the region.