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Delia Ramirez

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Delia Ramirez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byMarie Newman
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 4th district
In office
December 21, 2018 – December 14, 2022
Preceded byCynthia Soto
Succeeded byLilian Jiménez
Personal details
Born (1983-06-02) June 2, 1983 (age 41)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseBoris Hernandez
EducationNortheastern Illinois University (BA)
WebsiteHouse website

Delia Catalina Ramirez (born June 2, 1983)[1][2] is an American politician serving as U.S. representative from Illinois's 3rd congressional district since 2023.

She also served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 4th district from 2018 to 2023.

The 4th district includes the Chicago neighborhoods of East Humboldt Park, Hermosa, Bucktown, West Town, Ukrainian Village, East Village, and Logan Square.[2][3] Ramirez was elected to the House in 2018 and reelected in 2020. She is the first Guatemalan American elected to the Illinois General Assembly.[2]

In 2022, Ramirez was elected to the United States House of Representatives in Illinois's 3rd congressional district. After being sworn in in 2023, she became the first Latina to represent Illinois in Congress. Ramirez is also a member of The Squad.

Early life and education

The daughter of immigrants from Guatemala, Ramirez was raised in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood.[4] She graduated from Sabin Magnet Elementary School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in justice studies from Northeastern Illinois University.[2][4][5][6]

Early political and advocacy career

Before entering elected office, Ramirez worked and held leadership roles in social service agencies, nonprofit advocacy organizations, and local community organizations. Notably, she was president of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association from 2005 to 2007, executive director of the homelessness-focused nonprofit Center for Changing Lives from 2004 to 2013, and president of the Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA) from 2016 to 2019.[7][8]

In the 2018 Illinois House of Representatives election, she ran for the open 4th district seat to succeed incumbent Cynthia Soto.[2][9] She identified stable housing and stable schools, reliable and responsible government, and public safety and justice reform as her primary issues of concern.[7] She was part of a slate of Latino candidates backed by then-Cook County Commissioner and congressional candidate Chuy García.[10] She was also endorsed by a number of local elected officials, labor unions, and progressive organizations, including U.S. Representative Luis Gutiérrez, aldermen Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and Roberto Maldonado, Chicago Teachers Union, Illinois AFL–CIO, SEIU Healthcare and Local 73, United Working Families, and Our Revolution Illinois.[4] Ramirez won a four-way Democratic primary election on March 20 with 48% of the vote, and ran uncontested in the general election on November 6, 2018.[5]

Illinois House of Representatives

After the 2018 general election, retiring incumbent Cynthia Soto resigned effective December 18, 2018. Ramirez, the recent winner of the general election, was appointed by local Democratic leaders and sworn into office on December 21, 2018.[11] After serving the remainder of the 100th General Assembly, she was sworn into the 101st General Assembly on January 9, 2019.[2][9] She is a member of the Illinois House of Representatives Progressive Caucus.[12]

Committees

As of July 2, 2022, Ramirez is a member of the following committees:[13]

  • Adoption & Child Welfare Committee (HACW)
  • Appropriations - Human Services Committee (HAPH)
  • Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools (HELO)
  • Executive Committee (HEXC)
  • Housing Committee (SHOU)
  • Judiciary - Criminal Committee (HJUC)
  • Medicaid & Managed Care Subcommittee (HAPH-MEDI)

Tenure

In October 2019, Ramirez was part of a group of Democratic state legislators who opposed Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot's proposed plan for the use of a new real estate transfer tax, arguing that a portion of the funds from the new tax should be explicitly set aside to address homelessness and affordable housing.[14][15] In early 2020, Ramirez chaired a task force in the state legislature focused on the condition of children of incarcerated people.[15]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ramirez sponsored legislation to create a temporary moratorium on rent and mortgage payments and strengthen eviction moratoriums, but the bill was defeated after strong opposition from realtors.[16][17][18] However, she was able to pressure lawmakers to increase the size of a relief fund for tenants and landlords in the 2021 budget bill passed during the pandemic by 90%.[16] She also led a successful effort to include a provision that would provide Medicaid benefits to undocumented seniors in the budget bill.[19] Ramirez had been pushing for such a provision since 2019, and its successful adoption made Illinois the first state to provide Medicaid regardless of immigration status.[20][19]

In the 2021–22 session, Ramirez was named vice-chair of the newly created Housing Committee in the House, and introduced new legislation to address housing issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.[21] A version of this legislation passed and signed into law in May 2021 as the COVID-19 Emergency Housing Act, including provisions that created guidelines for administering $1 billion in federal funds for rent relief from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, automatically sealing evictions filed during the pandemic, extending a statewide eviction moratorium until May, and pausing judicial sales of possession until July.[22][23]

U.S House of Representatives

Elections

2022

See also: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois § District 3

On December 7, 2021, Ramirez announced that she would run in the 2022 U.S. House election for Illinois's 3rd congressional district.[24][25] The district is an open seat due to redistricting after the 2020 U.S. census. In the Democratic primary election, she defeated Gilbert Villegas (a member of Chicago City Council) and Iymen Chehade (a professor and foreign policy advisor),[26] with preliminary results indicating that she had won about 66% of the vote.[27] The district's electorate is heavily Democratic, and as such as the Democratic nominee was widely expected to win the general election in November.[25][27][28]

Ramirez defeated Republican nominee Justin Burau in the general election, receiving 67% of the vote.[29]

Caucus memberships

Committee assignments

Personal life

Delia Ramirez is married to a DACA recipient.[31]

Electoral history

Illinois 4th Representative District Democratic Primary, 2018[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Delia Ramirez 7,120 47.99
Democratic Iris J. Millan 3,076 20.73
Democratic Alyx S. Pattison 2,346 15.81
Democratic Anne Shaw 2,294 15.46
Total votes 14,836 100.0
Illinois 4th Representative District General Election, 2018[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Delia Ramirez 31,797 99.98
Write-in 6 0.02
Total votes 31,803 100.0
Illinois 4th Representative District Democratic Primary, 2020[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Delia C. Ramirez (incumbent) 16,136 100.0
Total votes 16,136 100.0
Illinois 4th Representative District General Election, 2020[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Delia C. Ramirez (incumbent) 38,951 100.0
Total votes 38,951 100.0
Illinois 3rd Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2022[36]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Delia Ramirez 37,296 66.39
Democratic Gilbert Villegas 12,990 23.12
Democratic Iymen Chehade 3,719 6.62
Democratic Juan Aguirre 2,175 3.87
Total votes 56,180 100.0

See also

References

  1. ^ Kapos, Shia; Carrasco, Maria (June 2, 2020). "TRUMP's APPROACH — DID CPD DEFEND FAIRLY? — AURORA POLICE CHIEF JOINS PROTESTS". Politico. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Serrato, Jacqueline (May 10, 2018). "Housing is a top issue for the first Guatemalan-American in the Illinois legislature". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  3. ^ "PA 97-0006 Legislative District 2" (PDF). May 18, 2011. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Delia Ramirez for State Representative". Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Delia Ramirez". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  6. ^ "Delia Ramirez". Illinois House Democratic Caucus. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  7. ^ a b CST Editorial Board (October 28, 2018). "Democratic nominee for Illinois House in the 4th District: Delia C. Ramirez". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  8. ^ "State Representative Delia Ramirez". Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Spielman, Fran (March 21, 2018). "Brother's defeat puts a political bullseye on the back of Ald. Ed Burke". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  10. ^ Marans, Daniel (April 2, 2018). "How Chicago's Leading Latino Progressive Bested The Democratic Party Machine". HuffPost. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  11. ^ Hollman, John (Clerk of the House) (ed.). "Resignations and Appointments" (PDF). Journal of the Illinois House of Representatives. 100 (152). Illinois House of Representatives: 6–8. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  12. ^ "House Progressive Caucus unveils agenda". Capitol Fax. February 14, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  13. ^ "Illinois General Assembly - Representative Committees". ilga.gov. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  14. ^ "Lawmakers introduce new real estate transfer tax proposal". The Real Deal Chicago. February 12, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  15. ^ a b McKinney, Maureen Foertsch. "What Can Illinois' Jails And Prisons Do To Improve The Lives Of The Children Of The Incarcerated?". NPR Illinois. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Ban on Evictions to Remain in Place After Bill to Waive Rent, Mortgage Payments Fails". WTTW News. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  17. ^ "Emergency housing relief proposed in Illinois to stave off mass evictions, foreclosures". Chicago Reporter. May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  18. ^ "Videos". WFLD. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  19. ^ a b Heather, Kade. "Illinois to become 1st state to provide Medicaid regardless of immigration status". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  20. ^ Forde, Noelle (May 28, 2020). "Illinois could become first state to provide Medicaid to noncitizens". WICS. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  21. ^ Kirsininkas, Tim (March 18, 2021). "Housing bill aims to provide additional support to renters, homeowners". Capitol News Illinois. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  22. ^ "Illinois COVID-19 Emergency Housing Act Creates Critical Protections for Renters & Homeowners". Housing Action Illinois. May 17, 2021. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  23. ^ "Leader Ramirez's Emergency Housing Assistance Passes in the Illinois House". Illinois House Democratic Caucus. March 22, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  24. ^ "Rep. Delia Ramirez announces congressional bid". CapitolFax.com. December 7, 2021. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  25. ^ a b Sweet, Lynn (December 8, 2021). "State Rep. Delia Ramirez launches congressional bid in new heavily Hispanic district in Illinois". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  26. ^ "Illinois' newest Latino congressional district brings heavy competition, divided Democratic visions". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  27. ^ a b FitzPatrick, Lauren; Malagón, Elvia (June 29, 2022). "State Rep. Delia Ramirez defeats Ald. Gil Villegas in newly drawn Illinois 3rd District". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  28. ^ Vinicky, Amanda (October 29, 2021). "Illinois Lawmakers Approve New Congressional Map". WTTW. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  29. ^ "AP projects Delia Ramirez winner in 3rd Congressional District race over Justin Burau". www.cbsnews.com.
  30. ^ "Progressive Caucus". Progressive Caucus. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  31. ^ https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/01/politics/delia-ramirez-latina-congress-cec/index.html
  32. ^ "Election Results 2018 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  33. ^ "Election Results 2018 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 8, 2022.[permanent dead link]
  34. ^ "Election Results 2020 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  35. ^ "Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. December 4, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2022.[permanent dead link]
  36. ^ "Election Results 2022 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Delia Ramirez.
Illinois House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 4th district
2018–2023 		Succeeded by
Lilian Jimenez
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 3rd congressional district
2023–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
422nd 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Delia_Ramirez&oldid=1137048806"