DuPage County GOP candidate Davis: ‘Illinois deserves leaders who put people over politics’ amid crime debate
Republican candidate for Illinois' 8th Congressional District Jennifer Davis said Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson should accept President Donald Trump's offer of federal assistance to combat violent crime in Illinois, accusing the two Democratic leaders of putting politics ahead of public safety.
“I am absolutely stunned and outraged. Why do Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson continue to reject federal help while Illinois families and communities continue to suffer from crime? Enough with the politics,” Davis wrote in a June 23 post on X. “Public safety isn’t a partisan issue — it’s the responsibility of government. Put aside the pride, accept the help, and work together to restore law and order in our state and cities. Illinois deserves leaders who put people over politics.”
Davis made the remarks after a violent weekend in Chicago in which 39 people were shot, six fatally. ABC 7 Chicago reported that Trump's offer came in response to the shootings, with the president writing on Truth Social, "Governor Pritzker, I, as President, can fix this, FAST and Permanently. D.C., Memphis, New Orleans, all down to record lows, and quickly! CALL ME!"
Pritzker rejected the president's offer, saying he did not believe Trump "has any idea how to protect us in the state of Illinois," according to ABC 7. "I don't think that we should be listening to this president or the promises that he makes, or that he has any idea on how to protect us in the state of Illinois. I am deeply concerned to make sure that we're keeping the people of Illinois safe."
Johnson echoed the governor's comments, saying Trump "has done nothing to protect cities, not delivered on one promise: safer communities."
The mayor also reiterated his support for creating a Department of Gun Violence Prevention, a proposal backed by faith and community leaders that would dedicate at least $100 million to community-based violence prevention efforts, ABC 7 reported. The proposal is expected to face scrutiny as Chicago confronts a budget shortfall exceeding $1 billion.
Davis is an entrepreneur, author, and Republican candidate for Illinois' 8th Congressional District. She co-founded Davisware at age 17 and helped build it into a global leader in field service management software, according to her campaign page. A mother of 10 and author of Living Exponentially in Life and Business, she later founded BExponential, an organization that mentors women in business and leadership. She is running on a platform of reducing federal regulation, supporting small businesses, and strengthening families.
Illinois’ 8th Congressional District includes several DuPage County communities, including portions of Elmhurst, Addison, Wood Dale, Itasca, and Bensenville, along with neighboring suburbs in Cook and Kane counties.