García, Jesús G. "Chuy"

Jesús G. "Chuy" García has represented Illinois's 4th congressional district since 2019. Born April 12, 1956, he brings decades of experience in Chicago and Illinois politics to the House. Before his election to Congress, García served on the Chicago City Council starting in 1986, where he was a key ally of Mayor Harold Washington during the contentious "Council Wars" period. He later became the first Mexican-American member of the Illinois State Senate in 1992, served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and ran for Chicago mayor twice, in 2015 and 2023. Between his 1998 state senate defeat and his 2018 congressional election, he founded and led the Little Village Community Development Corporation, where he advocated for community improvements including a successful 19-day hunger strike that secured funding for a new high school.

In Congress, García serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, with assignments on subcommittees focused on immigration, regulatory matters, aviation, highways and transit, and hazardous materials. His legislative priorities reflect his community organizing background and progressive values. He has sponsored bills addressing housing safety, paraprofessional support in schools, voting rights, and consumer protection, including the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2024 and the Stop Onerous Surcharges Act. Throughout his career, García has been characterized as a progressive advocate for immigrant-friendly policies and community-driven solutions to systemic challenges.