Patty Garcia Fires Back at Critics Over Ballot Maneuver, Vows to Protect Immigrants Amid "War on Our Community"
In a passionate defense of her surprise candidacy for Illinois' 4th Congressional District seat, Patty Garcia dismissed criticism that she manipulated the Democratic nomination process by exploiting a loophole in Chicago's old-school politics.
Garcia, who has worked closely with retiring U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia since 2019, acknowledged that she was thrust into the Southwest Side race when health concerns emerged for Chuy Garcia. However, she insisted that she followed all the necessary rules and collected signatures within a two-day timeframe to secure her spot on the primary ballot.
"We didn't stop anybody from applying," Garcia said during her first campaign appearance. "It's an open process. Any person who's interested in running for office can apply, circulate their petitions, and submit an application."
Garcia also shot back at critics who claimed she had planned this move from the start. "Some people here didn't know we were doing this till yesterday, because that's how we've been planning," she said. "Those who know me know that I plan and organize ahead of time. It wasn't a surprise to anyone in my camp."
As Garcia navigates her campaign, she has made it clear that she will continue Chuy Garcia's work fighting for immigrant and working-class families in the Southwest Side district. Her mother, an undocumented immigrant who arrived in Chicago pregnant, has been a driving force behind her decision to run.
"My mother crossed the border, undocumented, and pregnant with me," Garcia said, her voice trembling with emotion. "Today, families dressed like ours are facing a new kind of ICE, an assault on immigrants that threatens everything we've built."
Garcia's campaign has also drawn support from Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch and several members of the state's congressional delegation. However, she has been critical of other Democrats, including retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, for supporting Republican spending plans that threaten health care subsidies.
"We shouldn't be caving and leaving the table with nothing," Garcia said. "At the very minimum, we need health care and good health care, affordable health care, sustainable health care."
Garcia's campaign is seen as a major challenge to the Democratic establishment in Illinois, but she remains undeterred. As she faces off against Lupe Castillo, the Republican nominee, and Bridgeport resident Ed Hershey of the Working Class Party, Garcia has vowed to connect with voters and earn their trust.
"F--- ICE," Garcia said, her profane phrase becoming a rallying cry for her campaign. "That's why I'm running for Congress."
In a passionate defense of her surprise candidacy for Illinois' 4th Congressional District seat, Patty Garcia dismissed criticism that she manipulated the Democratic nomination process by exploiting a loophole in Chicago's old-school politics.
Garcia, who has worked closely with retiring U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia since 2019, acknowledged that she was thrust into the Southwest Side race when health concerns emerged for Chuy Garcia. However, she insisted that she followed all the necessary rules and collected signatures within a two-day timeframe to secure her spot on the primary ballot.
"We didn't stop anybody from applying," Garcia said during her first campaign appearance. "It's an open process. Any person who's interested in running for office can apply, circulate their petitions, and submit an application."
Garcia also shot back at critics who claimed she had planned this move from the start. "Some people here didn't know we were doing this till yesterday, because that's how we've been planning," she said. "Those who know me know that I plan and organize ahead of time. It wasn't a surprise to anyone in my camp."
As Garcia navigates her campaign, she has made it clear that she will continue Chuy Garcia's work fighting for immigrant and working-class families in the Southwest Side district. Her mother, an undocumented immigrant who arrived in Chicago pregnant, has been a driving force behind her decision to run.
"My mother crossed the border, undocumented, and pregnant with me," Garcia said, her voice trembling with emotion. "Today, families dressed like ours are facing a new kind of ICE, an assault on immigrants that threatens everything we've built."
Garcia's campaign has also drawn support from Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch and several members of the state's congressional delegation. However, she has been critical of other Democrats, including retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, for supporting Republican spending plans that threaten health care subsidies.
"We shouldn't be caving and leaving the table with nothing," Garcia said. "At the very minimum, we need health care and good health care, affordable health care, sustainable health care."
Garcia's campaign is seen as a major challenge to the Democratic establishment in Illinois, but she remains undeterred. As she faces off against Lupe Castillo, the Republican nominee, and Bridgeport resident Ed Hershey of the Working Class Party, Garcia has vowed to connect with voters and earn their trust.
"F--- ICE," Garcia said, her profane phrase becoming a rallying cry for her campaign. "That's why I'm running for Congress."
she stood up 4 herself & didnt let the haters bring her down! i love how she's keepin it real about immigrant rights & healthcare subsidies, btw 
her mom's story is so inspiring & i'm all for a war on ICE 
if we dont take care of our own ppl, who will?! 
I'm not surprised by Patty Garcia's bold move, tbh. It's all about the politics, and people need to step up their game if they wanna take on the big boys. She's got a good thing going with her fam and the community, and it shows she's not afraid to speak truth to power 
. The fact that Chuy Garcia is stepping down has definitely created some opening for new faces in politics...and I think Patty is ready to take on the challenge 
. One thing's for sure - this is gonna be an interesting campaign 
!
Her whole 'we didn't stop anybody from applying' thing kinda rings true, but then again, what if some people are smart enough to figure out loopholes and make the most of them? 
On one hand, I think it's awesome she's taking on the "war on our community" and advocating for immigrant rights - that's super important. But at the same time, isn't it a bit dodgy that she only jumped into this whole thing because her old buddy's health got shaky? 
! Her mom's story is literally giving me all the feels - undocumented & pregnant, can you even imagine? 
And now she's fighting for immigrants rights & its so inspiring 
I don't care what ppl say about her campaign tactics, she's doing what she believes in & thats all that matters 
gotta root for this girl 
. Like, she wasn't trying to surprise anyone by filling in her dad-to-be's spot on the ballot... she just followed the rules and made it work 
. And I love how she's not afraid to speak truth to power, even if it means ruffling some feathers 
. Maybe this is exactly what Illinois needs right now: someone who's passionate and willing to shake things up 
.
And honestly, can we just get rid of this whole "War on Our Community" thing already? 
I think Patty Garcia's response to criticism is kinda weak 
.
Can't believe the state of our online forums these days... like, can we please just stick to discussing politics without all the drama? 
It's a campaign, folks! Not a therapy session 
.
Oh man, this woman is FIGHTING FOR HER PEOPLE!!! I gotta respect that 
Patty Garcia is speaking truth to power and not backing down from the haters. Her story about her mom being an undocumented immigrant and facing the "war on our community" is like, totally heartbreaking 
. Her personal story is so inspiring - it's no wonder people are rooting for her 
. And honestly, she's giving the establishment a run for their money 
. And can we talk about her campaign? It's all about connecting with voters and earning their trust 
...and Patty Garcia's actions are speaking volumes about her commitment to protecting immigrant families and standing up against the "war on our community". She's not backing down from criticizing Democrats who support Republican spending plans that threaten healthcare subsidies. It's time for politicians to put people over party interests and fight for what really matters - the safety and well-being of all citizens, especially those who are most vulnerable. 
she's not afraid to call out the Democratic establishment and fight for immigrant rights 
. I'm not buying it. She's probably just trying to cover her own tracks and take advantage of a loophole in the system. And what's with all these surprise moves? Is she really that incompetent or just trying to create drama?