Will Guzzardi

Will Guzzardi
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 39th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 14, 2015
Preceded byMaria Antonia Berrios
Personal details
BornNew York City, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationBrown University (BA)

Will Guzzardi is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives who represents the 39th District. The 39th District includes parts of the Avondale, Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, Old Irving Park, Portage Park and Logan Square.[1] Guzzardi is a co-chair of the Illinois House's Progressive Caucus.

Early life, education, and career

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Guzzardi was born in New York City.[2] He grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, before attending Brown University for college, where he graduated with a comparative literature degree.[3]

He moved to Chicago in 2009 and worked as an associate editor for the Chicago branch of the Huffington Post.[3] He later worked as the head writer for the University of Chicago Office of College Admissions.[4][5]

Campaigns

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In 2012, Guzzardi ran for the Illinois House of Representatives, but lost by 125 votes[6] to the incumbent Maria Antonia Berrios, daughter of then Cook Country Democratic Party Chairman, Joseph Berrios. Berrios had the support of the Chicago Democratic establishment behind her, including endorsements from Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle as well as Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.

In 2014, Guzzardi again ran for the seat in one of the most-followed races in the city that year with the support of progressive groups like the Chicago Teachers Union and other progressive elected officials. Ultimately, Guzzardi defeated Berrios by a 20% margin.[7]

Guzzardi's campaigns have focused on issues of social and economic inequality, and opposition to Chicago's machine politics.[8][9]

Illinois General Assembly

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As of July 3, 2022, Representative Guzzardi was a member of the following Illinois House committees:[10]

  • Criminal Administration and Enforcement Subcommittee (HJUC-CAES)
  • Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, & IT Committee (HCDA)
  • Firearms and Firearm Safety Subcommittee (HJUC-FIRE)
  • (Chairman of) Housing Committee (SHOU)
  • Judiciary - Criminal Committee (HJUC)
  • Juvenile Justice and System-Involved Youth Subcommittee (HJUC-JJSI)
  • (Chairman of) Prescription Drug Affordability (HPDA)
  • Sentencing, Penalties and Criminal Procedure Subcommittee (HJUC-SPCP)
  • Sex Offenses and Sex Offender Registration Subcommittee

Tenure

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As State Representative, Guzzardi has focused on issues pertaining to labor rights, progressive causes, and assistance for working families. Some of his enacted bills include:

  • SB1 - Raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour in Illinois[11]
  • SB667 - A measure that caps the cost of insulin co-payments for insurance plans for 260,000 Illinoisans at $100 per month[12]
  • SB1351 - A student loan bill of rights to protect individuals with student loan debt from predatory lending practices[13]
  • HB303 - A law that reforms civic asset forfeitures practices by Illinois law enforcement to ensure Illinoisan's property is not taken unjustly[14]
  • SB2746 - A law that eliminates the “tampon tax” on feminine hygiene products. Previously, these products were subjected to being taxed as luxuries instead of medical essentials.[15]
  • SB3762 - A law that eliminates the Death Penalty for Sentencing Treason in Illinois. Effective 1/1/2024.[16]

In 2018, J. B. Pritzker appointed Guzzardi a member of the gubernatorial transition's Job Creation and Economic Opportunity Committee.[17]

Electoral history

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Illinois 39th State House District Democratic Primary, 2012[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maria Antonia "Toni" Berrios 4,021 50.79
Democratic Will Guzzardi 3,896 49.21
Total votes 7,917 100.0
Illinois 39th State House District Democratic Primary, 2014[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Will Guzzardi 5,316 60.41
Democratic Maria Antonia "Toni" Berrios (incumbent) 3,484 39.59
Total votes 8,800 100.0
Illinois 39th State House District General Election, 2014[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Will Guzzardi 14,644 100.0
Total votes 14,644 100.0
Illinois 39th State House District General Election, 2016[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Will Guzzardi (incumbent) 29,170 100.0
Total votes 29,170 100.0
Illinois 39th State House District General Election, 2018[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Will Guzzardi (incumbent) 26,106 100.0
Total votes 26,106 100.0
Illinois 39th State House District General Election, 2020[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Will Guzzardi (incumbent) 33,816 100.0
Total votes 33,816 100.0
Illinois 39th Representative District General Election, 2022[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Will Guzzardi (incumbent) 21,918 85.75
Republican Anthony Curran 3642 14.25
Total votes 25,560 100.0

References

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  1. ^ Illinois Representative District 39
  2. ^ Jauch, Scott (2019-08-01). "Profiles In Citizenship II: Illinois State Rep. Will Guzzardi". Medium. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  3. ^ a b "Will Guzzardi: 24, Ivy League-Educated, and Running Against Joe Berrios's Daughter". Chicago magazine.
  4. ^ "Representative Will Guzzardi (D), 39th District". Illinois General Assembly.
  5. ^ "Will Guzzardi Announces That He Will Challenge Berrios Again". DNAInfo Chicago.
  6. ^ "Guzzardi Concedes to Berrios". NBC Chicago. May 2012. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  7. ^ "Guzzardi Beats Berrios in Northwest Side State Rep. Race". DNAInfo Chicago.
  8. ^ Erin Hegarty. "Q&A with Will Guzzardi". LoganSquarist.
  9. ^ "Out of Turn: The Story of the Will Guzzardi Campaign". gapersblock.com.
  10. ^ "Illinois General Assembly - Representative Committees". ilga.gov. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  11. ^ "Illinois House votes to raise minimum wage to $15 by 2025; Gov. J.B. Pritzker expected to sign it". Chicago Tribune. 14 February 2019.
  12. ^ "Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he'll sign insulin price cap approved by Illinois legislature". Herald&Review.
  13. ^ "Student Loan Borrowers Protected By New Illinois Law". NPR Illinois. 8 November 2017.
  14. ^ "Illinois moves to rein in property confiscation laws". Chicago Sun-Times. 10 April 2017.
  15. ^ "Illinois Legislature Approves Eliminating Tampon Tax". Illinois Public Radio. 27 May 2016.
  16. ^ https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/103/HB/PDF/10300HB3762lv.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ^ Miller, Rich (December 3, 2018). "Pritzker transition announces Job Creation and Economic Opportunity Committee". Capitol Fax. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  18. ^ "Election Results 2012 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  19. ^ "Election Results 2014 GENERAL PRIMARY". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  20. ^ "Election Results 2014 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  21. ^ "Election Results 2016 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  22. ^ "Election Results 2018 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  23. ^ "Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  24. ^ "Election Results 2022 GENERAL ELECTION". Illinois State Board of Elections. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
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