Candidate name: Lauren Underwood State: Illinois Bio: Lauren Underwood is a registered nurse who’s ready to care for constituents as a U.S. Congresswoman. While working at the Department of Health and Human Services under the Obama Administration, she used her health policy expertise to help launch the Affordable Care Act. She is dedicated to expanding access to quality healthcare for all Americans. Underwood is running against Republican incumbent Congressman Randy Hultgren. The Chicago Sun-Times has endorsed Underwood in the race. In October, the newspaper’s editorial board wrote: “We have endorsed Hultgren in the past, but we can’t this year. On key issues such as health care, tax cuts that favor the wealthiest Americans and lax gun laws, we believe he is increasingly out of step with a majority of 14th District voters. Hultgren’s district leans Republican, but no longer by much. And now that the district is more competitive, especially in this potential ‘blue wave’ year, it finally has attracted a highly qualified and credible Democratic alternative — Underwood. Former President Barack Obama has also endorsed her candidacy; she’s got the backing of Higher Heights for America PAC, Rosa PAC, Emily’s List, The Collective, Move On, and the League of Conservation Voters (LVC) Action Fund, to name a few. For more information:

---