Dupage Policy Journal

Aris Garcia, a first-generation American who immigrated from Germany, recently campaigned for the 49th District seat in the state House of Representatives. However, he was defeated by Hannah Billingsley, who will now proceed to the general election in November.

Garcia announced his candidacy for State Representative with a commitment to address issues he believes the Democratic party has overlooked. As a graduate of the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, Garcia offers a unique perspective on politics, focusing particularly on education in his district. "I am running for State Representative because I believe the Democrats have failed our children and are actively destroying opportunities for the middle and lower classes," Garcia stated on his campaign website.

His political stance underscores his dedication to holding politicians accountable for their actions. He has criticized those who prioritize personal interests over community needs and condemned the alleged misuse of political offices as personal "piggy banks." According to Garcia, such actions detrimentally impact the people they are intended to serve.

Screenshot of Aris Garcia's March 20 Facebook post. | Facebook

Ballotpedia reported that Garcia received 1,069 votes in the March 19 primary; Billingsley received 3,057 votes and will face incumbent Democrat Maura Hirschauer in the General election on Nov. 5.

Identifying himself as an "unapologetic conservative," Garcia's platform includes education, property taxes, local sales and income tax, and curbing government spending. Other areas of focus include the Second Amendment, immigration, veterans' rights, and women’s rights. On education specifically, Garcia emphasizes school choice. He pledged to advocate for responsible spending within state government and intends to pressure local officials to lower sales taxes.

On March 13th, Garcia announced that he had secured an endorsement from Moms For America.

In a Facebook post dated March 20th following his defeat in the primaries, Garcia expressed gratitude towards supporters and vowed to continue advocating for conservative values: "Going into this race almost 10 months ago, we knew it was going to be a tough battle as a conservative in suburban Cook and DuPage County. Regardless of yesterday’s results, I want to thank all the candidates, volunteers, supporters, and my family for their continuous support. I will continue to champion conservative values across our state with the same vigor as before. 'Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.' - Ronald Reagan"