A fourth Republican is entering the field with hopes to fill Illinois’ vacant state senate seat in the 53rd district in 2024.
Jesse Faber is an agriculture educator from Pontiac. He joins Washington Mayor Gary Manier, Livingston County farmer Mike Kirkton and Grundy County Board chair Chris Balkema in the race. All four are Republican candidates in the sprawling, firmly red district. They share several key policy points: they all seek lower taxes and expanded support for small business, are anti-abortion rights and pro-second amendment.
Where they most noticeably differ is their personal experience and political track records. None have held state office before, but have different levels of involvement as local government officials and advocates.
Faber describes himself as passionate about education and small business. He said he’s been involved with the crafting of agriculture education legislation over the past seven years.
“We need to make sure that we're crafting policies, we're creating tax code, we're working on regulations,” Faber said. “And, to a large extent, hopefully, taking a look and pulling back some regulations to improve the business climate.”
He also said he sees workforce issues for small businesses in Illinois. He’d like to develop ways to make it easier for them to onboard and train employees and believes a looser regulatory environment is critical.
Faber has a similar outlook on carbon capture pipelines to the other candidates as well.
“I am at the forefront of this as a property rights advocate, I believe in people's rights with the properties that they have,” he said. “I think that most of all, our landowners need to be protected in their rights to determine and to negotiate how they feel about and what best suits them within their own property and segments.”
He said he understands the unique capability of Illinois’ geography to capture and store carbon, but continues to stress the property owners’ ability to deny a pipeline near them if that’s their desire.
Other candidates also have presented their ideas to attract businesses and keep families in the state, citing concerns with declining population or major manufacturers’ moving their headquarters.
Faber’s plan to attract and retain people is hyper local.
“I think about the people in the communities in the 53rd district, some of those communities that you're talking about are right here,” he said. “And we need to make sure that they have the resources, that they have the support to make sure that they're able to draw people in as well as retain them as the future leaders and vibrant economic drivers those will be.”
Faber frequently alludes to the values of the 53rd district. When asked what values those are he lists a few things: importance of family, community involvement, volunteerism and community pride.
“I think that it's conservative values of fiscal management,” he said. "I think that its values about property rights, and property ownership and being proud of things that have been in your family for generations, in my case."
Faber said this understanding of the district’s values and his familiarity with its primary stakeholders make him a good fit for the seat.
“I'm passionate about our small towns, I'm passionate about the industries that serve us. And I'm passionate about the people,” he said. “I think that they need to have a voice and I would love to represent them.”
The 2024 primary is March 19, with the general election on Nov. 5.
