Elburn Mayor Jeff Walter launches 11th District race against Rep. Bill Foster: ‘It’s time for a change’
Republican Elburn Mayor Jeff Walter is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster in Illinois’ 11th Congressional District, arguing that rising costs, federal overreach and dissatisfaction with Washington have created an opening in a district Republicans view as competitive.
Walter, 66, launched his campaign in June 2025. He said his campaign is rooted in concerns about rising household costs and dissatisfaction with federal representation.
Drawing on his experience as mayor of Elburn, Walter said federal policies often create financial burdens for municipalities and residents.
“The closer you get to people in government, the more you understand what goes on in their day-to-day lives, and I've been living that for the last nine years as mayor,” Walter told the DuPage Policy Journal. “That's what drove me into this.”
Walter said families across the district are being affected by rising taxes, utility bills, housing and health care costs. He said he would respond by cutting unfunded federal mandates, reducing regulations, simplifying the tax code and increasing accountability for federal spending.
Walter is building his campaign around fiscal concerns, local control and community engagement. He is also critical of Foster’s congressional record and voting history.
“If you look at Mr. Foster's record, he's been in 16 years,” Walter said. “He's only managed to get two of his own bills passed, both of them renaming post offices.”
U.S. Rep. Bill Foster faces a challenge from Elburn Mayor Jeff Walter, who says the 16-year incumbent has left the district underrepresented and needs “a change.” (Facebook / Bill Foster)
Foster was first elected to the 14th Congressional District in a special election in 2008 and was later redistricted into the 11th Congressional District.
Foster’s strongest recent performances came in 2018 and 2020, when he won more than 63% of the vote against Republican challengers Nick Stella and Rick Laib, respectively. His margins narrowed in subsequent elections, defeating Catalina Lauf in 2022 with 56.5% and Jerry Evans in 2024 with 55.6%.
Across his 11th District campaigns, Foster has generally defeated Republican opponents by double digits, though recent races have shown narrower margins. His closest contest in the district came in 2014, when he defeated Republican Darlene Senger 53.5% to 46.5%.
Walter pointed to Republican performance in the district in 2024 as part of his motivation to run.
“We're looking at this as a flippable district,” he said. “There's an organization out there called the Congressional Republican Organization, run by Dean White (GOP Central Committeeman for the 8th Congressional District) and other state Republican folks, and they've tagged this as a potentially flippable district.”
Walter argued Foster’s legislative output and party-line voting record have left the district underrepresented in Washington.
“I don't think he's representing the district very well,” Walter said. “He votes 98 plus percent of the time Democrat. And nobody is right 98 point plus whatever percent of the time. Except my wife, of course, she's right 100% of the time.”
Walter said those concerns, combined with what he views as a disconnect between district priorities and congressional action, helped drive his decision to run.
“That kind of got me motivated to get into this,” Walter said. “We need some representation. If you look at the 11th district that is obviously gerrymandered, like most of them are in Illinois.”
He said concerns over representation and district priorities ultimately pushed him into the race.
“Those are conservative folks who want to raise their families in good areas with no crime and without outrageous taxes,” he said. “Looking at what Bill has not done over the last 16 years, I think it's time for a change. We need somebody in there who understands things from the ground up.”
Walter’s campaign platform includes positions on foreign policy, immigration and health care.
On foreign policy, Walter supports a strong U.S. military posture but said unilateral military action should not become routine. He said presidents must be able to respond quickly to immediate threats, while Congress should play a stronger role in authorizing prolonged military engagements and overseeing foreign policy.
Walter also criticized the expansion of executive authority under administrations of both parties, arguing Congress has ceded too much power over tariffs, military action and domestic policy.
“I think people just want to see just normal things getting done,” he said. “As a mayor, I'm required to deliver certain things to my constituents. They want a safe city. They want good water. They want to good streets, they want them plowed in the winter and all those core things I have to deliver. Unfortunately, Congress isn't focused on that anymore.”
Walter said his campaign message is focused on practical governance and dissatisfaction with partisan gridlock. He says policymaking should rely more heavily on legislation than executive action.
“Congress has been so focused on so many issues that are so far left and so far right,” he said. “They're not focused on the things that they need to get done. I mean we literally have bridges falling into rivers on our interstate systems and they're worried about just these crazy issues that are so far outside and affects so little of the population.”
Immigration is another central campaign issue. Walter supports what he described as an “enforcement-first” approach focused on border security, tougher enforcement and continued support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, while remaining open to legal status pathways for law-abiding immigrants paired with stronger border controls.
On health care, Walter favors a market-based system in which government sets rules and protects access without directly managing care. He supports reforming the Affordable Care Act through expanded competition, greater consumer choice and increased use of Health Savings Accounts while preserving protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
Regarding the Israel-Palestine war, Walter supports Israel’s right to self-defense while backing humanitarian aid and diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing violence and promoting regional stability.
Prediction markets currently favor Democrats to retain the 11th Congressional District, though Republicans continue to view the race as competitive.
The 11th Congressional District spans portions of Boone, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties and includes communities such as McHenry, Crystal Lake, Woodstock, Marengo, Belvidere, St. Charles, Aurora and Naperville.
Walter described outreach efforts aimed at broadening Republican support in the district, particularly among independent and Hispanic voters.
“If you look at the Hispanic population in Aurora, Hispanics are typically conservative people,” Walter said. “They're church-going. They're about their families. They are about education. They're about all the things I'm about.”
He said the campaign plans community outreach in Aurora while focusing on independent voters in Naperville and emphasizing turnout during what is expected to be a lower-turnout election cycle.
“We've got to get the conservative Republican vote, we got to them off the couch,” Walter said. “But we also have to get the undecideds involved, and the people that consider themselves independents to understand that there's a better way for the 11th district than what we've had for the last 16 years.”
Walter’s campaign social media has highlighted appearances at veterans ceremonies and local events in communities including Crystal Lake and Wauconda, while recognizing law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and public works employees.
He has also criticized Democratic policies and elected officials, including Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed BUILD Act.
The housing and zoning proposal recently became a focal point for Walter in his role as mayor. The Village of Elburn passed a resolution opposing the BUILD Act, arguing it would reduce municipal authority over zoning and development decisions.
Walter said village officials and regional planning groups had been reviewing the proposal for months and warned it could override local planning efforts and increase infrastructure demands without guaranteed state funding.
“Basically losing our authority as a village to control our own destiny is actually quite frightful,” Walter previously told the Kane County Reporter.
Supporters of the BUILD Act say the proposal is intended to address housing shortages and affordability challenges, while opponents argue it would impose statewide mandates and weaken local decision-making.
Looking ahead to November, Walter offered a simple appeal to voters.
“Just get out and vote,” he said. “November 3rd will be here before we know it. Whether you vote with a mail-in ballot, go to the polls or vote early, however you want to do it, you can do it in Illinois. Just get out and do it.”