Underwood Vs. Oberweis 2020: What To Know In 14th District Race

ILLINOIS — The race for the 14th Congressional District is shaping up to be one of the most-watched races in Illinois for the 2020 election, with entrepreneur and politician Jim Oberweis vying to unseat Democratic incumbent Rep. Lauren Underwood.

Rep. Lauren Underwood (D, IL-14)

Freshman lawmaker Underwood unseated Rep. Randy Hultgren in 2018 in what many considered an upset in the traditionally conservative district. Underwood's history-making win made her the youngest Black woman ever elected to Congress. Underwood, a registered nurse, campaigned fiercely in favor of affordable health care, a cause she has continued to support since her election.

Click the link to read Underwood's Patch Candidate Survey.

Health Care

According to Underwood's campaign website, "Lauren's number one priority in Congress is ensuring access to high-quality, affordable health care for our families and eliminating cost barriers to care."

To this end, Underwood has championed the bipartisan Lower Insulin Costs Now Act, which was signed into law to make lower-cost insulin more readily available for diabetic patients.

Reproductive Health

Underwood "supports women's rights to the full range of reproductive health services, without restrictions. This includes access to safe, legal, and affordable abortions," according to her website.

Border Security

Underwood asserts that "We must fix our nation's broken immigration system with policies that reflect our shared values." She co-sponsored The American Dream and Promise Act to protect Dreamers and other immigrants.

Gun Control

According to her campaign website, Underwood asserts that "Gun violence prevention is a public health issue, and Lauren believes that Congress must respond accordingly with data-driven, evidence-based policies."

While in Congress, Underwood has supported the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Enhanced Background Checks Act, both of which aim to establish universal background checks and close gun sales loopholes.

Endorsements
Here's a summary of some of the endorsements Underwood has received:

• President Barack Obama
• Vice President Joe Biden
• Chicago Tribune
• Daily Herald
• Planned Parenthood Action
• Black Economic Alliance
• Moms Demand Action

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Jim Oberweis

Voters may recognize the name Jim Oberweis from Oberweis Dairy, the family company for which Oberweis serves as chairman. Oberweis currently serves on the Illinois State Senate and is the Senate Republican Whip. Click the link to read Oberweis's Patch Candidate Survey.

Health Care

According to his campaign website, Oberweis "supports the free market, and believes government should play only a limited role in health care, while protecting those with pre-existing conditions." He supports lowering health care costs and increasing pricing transparency, in addition to insurance portability between jobs.

Gun Control

According to Northwest Herald, Oberweis is a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. In a late-September debate against Underwood, Oberweis said he supports universal background checks, but added, "The best thing that we could do to protect our kids and adults would be to combine the five different databases that we have right now."

Border Security

Oberweis "supports strong border security, and believes the law enforcement agents who work at ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) deserve to have the resources and support they need to conduct their vital work at the border," according to his campaign website. He believes the U.S. should limit the number of immigrants it accepts each year via a merit-based system.

Term Limits

According to his campaign website, Oberweis "favors both state and federal proposals to limit legislators' terms."

Endorsements

Here's a summary of some of the endorsements Jim Oberweis has received:

• President Donald Trump
• U.S. Senator Marco Rubio
• Former Congressman Don Manzullo
• The National Federation of Independent Business
• Illinois Citizens For Life Federal PAC
• Lake County Right To Life