Paul Kendrick launches campaign for Illinois State Representative, emphasizes safety and affordability

Paul Kendrick is passionate about nailing the basics in Chicago. He’ll even bring you cheesecake to talk about it! 

Former Obama White House staffer and community leader Paul Kendrick is running for state representative, supported by leaders like Alderman Brian Hopkins and Senator Sara Feigenholtz. He is focused on strengthening our safety, lowering costs like property taxes (so Chicagoans can stay in Chicago!), and improving Illinois’ fiscal responsibility. 

He’s the son-in-law of my great friends Maureen and Marc Schulman of Eli’s Cheesecake. Longtime Candid Candace readers know how many big cakes he’s done with Eli’s over the years to benefit our city.

The 12th District runs along the Lakefront from Gold Coast to Lakeview. This seat is open because Rep. Margaret Croke, who has also endorsed Paul, is running for State Comptroller. 

 If elected, Paul is well-prepared to be ready on day one. He began his career by building a program that helped hundreds of students succeed in college. That motivated him to improve the policies that create opportunity for people. So, he went to work on the Obama reelection campaign, organizing the youth vote in Wisconsin, which led to serving in President Obama’s Administration. He worked for Sec. Arne Duncan at the Department of Education to elevate the best things happening in education before serving in the White House, where he showed he can get things done in government. 

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After the Obama Administration, Paul and his wife Kori settled in Lincoln Park, where he got deeply involved with strengthening his community. 

As a volunteer leader, he built the Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and Old Town Indivisible chapter over eight years, which is an organization that’s been engaging neighbors to take action like Hands Off Chicago/No Kings rallies. His deep involvement also includes serving on the Lincoln Park High School Local School Council and Park West Neighbors Association.

Professionally, he worked on Gov. Pritzker’s campaign and then led Rust Belt Rising, a nonprofit organization dedicated to training hundreds of Midwest Democrats running for office on leading with economic issues and creating more opportunity in their communities.

His campaign has been about bringing neighbors together to discuss challenges and priorities—he supplies the cheesecake, and voters share their views. He takes every opportunity to gather high-rise neighbors to talk.. 

A theme he hears and shares is that we love this city, but we want a better deal given what we pay in taxes. Thus, he lays out practical steps to improve our city in the areas we all want, such as safety, affordability, and excellent schools. 

Some of Paul’s ideas include passing a bill to address chronic retail theft. Crime numbers in this category have risen because criminal networks are exploiting misdemeanor status to repeatedly steal and resell businesses’ goods. Paul believes the State's Attorneys should be able to present evidence of a string of premeditated crimes to a judge to justify detaining the offender. 

Closing loopholes like chronic retail theft can ultimately reduce smash-and-grab incidents and violence. Paul believes in other state changes, such as lowering the current too-high bar for detaining a stalker. Paul ultimately aims to support the technology, training, and recruitment that police need, maximizing support from Springfield, as our neighborhood’s partner.  

Paul has proposed a cap on how much your property taxes can be raised every year as well as making the Senior Freeze more generous. He believes in creating a better climate for small businesses to thrive, which starts with greater fiscal responsibility. 

On education, he wants to ban cell phones during instructional time and increase career and technical education for young people, so they have pathways into careers that don’t require college. 

We certainly need fresh energy in Springfield, so I’m grateful Paul is running. All Chicagoans should get out to vote in the March 17th primary!

(This opinion is my own - Candace Jordan)