Chicago City Wire

Ammie Kessem, the Republican candidate for the Illinois House of Representatives’ 19th District, has been endorsed by the Illinois political action committee of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

Kessem posted the endorsement letter on Facebook Aug. 21.

“As you know, small businesses make up 90 percent of the Illinois business sector and employ half our workers, so we need you in Springfield to fight against excessive government tax schemes and anti-business mandates,” the letter stated. “We need you to work for rational economic policies.”

Illinois State House Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago)

A police officer for nearly 20 years, Kessem also recently signed a pledge refusing a state-funded pension if elected in November. Fifty other legislators have signed the same pledge, created by the economic policy journal Wirepoints.com.

“Illinois has the nation’s worst pension crisis, so it needs the boldest reforms in the nation,” said a Wirepoints editorial, noting the General Assembly Retirement System “is the worst-off fund in the state.”

The Wirepoints article also mentioned that “the state is just one notch from the embarrassment of a junk bond rating,” a fact state Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) mentioned in a recent press conference.

“Illinois tells voters its budget is balanced, but it warns bond investors it’s not,” Ives said in a video of the press conference.

Ives cited a document telling investors it has an underlying $1.2 billion structural deficit from unfunded pension liabilities.

Kessem’s challenger in the upcoming election is incumbent Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago).

On her campaign website, Kessem said it was time for new leadership in Springfield, including longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago).

“It is time for Madigan to go, and to make that happen, we need to replace Robert Martwick,” Kessem said. “I am running to end his reign and change the culture that he has created in Springfield.”

The 19th House District covers Cook County, the city of Chicago, and Leyden and Norwood Park townships.