The People Who Got Us Into This Mess, Won’t Be The Ones To Get Us Out… But Nick Uniejewski Will
- Howie Klein
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
On Tuesday, Nick Uniejewski announced his campaign for the Illinois state Senate seat on the Northside of Chicago, a blue district wasted by a longtime do-nothing incumbent, Sara Feigenholtz. Nick’s an old comrade of ours from this work on Marie Newman’s campaigns. He told Chicago voters that “Right now, we have a president who pits people against each other and encourages hate and division and an incumbent Senator who has faced numerous calls for her resignation because of her frequent racist and Islamophobic remarks. We deserve better. We, as Democrats, cannot expect to escape the mess our party is in by electing people who seek to divide rather than unite. I’m running for the state Senate to bring people together and help build people up-– no matter where they live, who they love, or where they were born. We need new energetic leadership so we can get back to making this a fabulous place to live, work, and play for everyone. I believe we can have a better future if we elect leaders who aren’t afraid to fight for that future.”
Please consider contributing to Nick’s campaign here. If he wins he’d be only the second openly gay person to serve in the Illinois Senate, and the first openly gay state Senator to represent one of the largest LGBTQ+ communities in the country, Northalsted.
Progress Means Building— Not Just Talking About It
-by Nick Uniejewski
When I tell people I’m running for State Senate in Illinois’ 6th District, I usually get two questions:
“What’s a State Senator?”
“Who are you running against?”
I’m running against the incumbent in the Democratic primary. In fact, that seat’s been locked down for decades. My opponent has served in Springfield for 30 years without ever facing a primary. And the 6th District hasn’t seen a contested election since 1972. That’s over 50 years without a real choice.
I’m running because that’s not democracy— and it’s certainly not progress.
I’m not interested in being a career politician. I’m a community organizer, a policy nerd, and a public transit rider. I worked alongside former Congresswoman Marie Newman, fighting to put people— not corporations— at the center of politics. And I’m running for State Senate because we need to get serious about the things that make life better for working people in Illinois: housing, transit, and democracy that can’t be bought.
Housing: Affordability Is Not a Luxury
We’re in a housing crisis— let’s stop pretending otherwise.
Rents are rising faster than wages. Families are being priced out of their neighborhoods. We all should be able to live in the communities we love without the fear of being priced out.
As a Senator, I’ll push for:
Legalizing multi-family housing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) so we can build more homes where people want to live
Reforming the zoning and permitting process so it serves people, not just developers or NIMBY interests
Prioritizing state investments in affordable housing— not giveaways to luxury condos
Transit: Safe, Reliable, and Built for the Future
I don’t own a car. I bike. I walk. I take the CTA and Metra. And like many of you, I’ve waited in the freezing rain wondering if the bus is ever coming.
We need a 21st-century transit system that reflects our values: clean, accessible, and equitable.
I’ll fight for:
Real, recurring funding for CTA, Metra, and Pace— without balancing the budget on riders’ backs
Protected bike and bus lanes to speed up commutes and reduce car dependence
Regional coordination that treats transit like the public good it is—not just a budget line to cut
Money in Politics: The Root of Stagnation
None of this happens— none of it— if we don’t break the stranglehold of money in our politics.
Right now, my opponent— Sara Feigenholtz— takes more than one-third of her campaign contributions from the health care industry. That includes Big Pharma, nursing homes, and hospital conglomerates. It’s no wonder bold policy ideas die quietly in Springfield: the special interests are already in the room.
I haven’t taken a dime from corporate PACs. I’m powered by small donors, volunteers, and neighbors who are tired of politics that works for everyone except us.
It’s time we stop asking what’s politically possible— and start organizing for what’s necessary.
Illinois deserves leadership that actually fights for working people— not just checks boxes or keeps a seat warm.
I’m Nick Uniejewski, and I’m running for State Senate because progress takes more than slogans. It takes organizing. It takes movement. And it takes all of us.
If you're with me, join us.