Illinois’ 14th Congressional District incumbent, Democrat Lauren Underwood, is fending off Republican James “Jim” Marter, a self-employed software consultant who’s tried multiple times to get on the Republican ballot for this far west suburban seat.
But since becoming the nominee, Marter’s fundraising has lagged precipitously behind Underwood, who has outraised him more than 13 to 1. As of Oct. 16, Underwood reported pulling in $3.9 million in this election cycle, with $1.5 million on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission. Marter in that same time period raised $293,000 and has reported $70,000 left — and outstanding debts totaling $101,000.
A registered nurse, Underwood, 38, has represented the 14th District since 2018, when she defeated a four-term Republican by running on the Affordable Care Act. She performed slightly better than President Joe Biden in 2020, and she rose to Democratic leadership in 2022.
Pulling from seven counties, Illinois’ boxy 14th District is mostly suburban and rural but includes the modest cities of Aurora, Joliet and Sycamore, from roughly Interstate 88 on the north down past Interstate 80.
This race is not expected to change the composition of Illinois’ 17-member delegation, 13 of whom are Democrats. That’s largely because state Dems, long holding a supermajority in the General Assembly, have drawn district lines to favor their own party. Only the 17th District race between incumbent Democrat Eric Sorensen and Republican challenger Joe McGraw is considered to be a significant battle.
For Underwood, of Naperville, the greatest challenge her constituents face is inflation related to the costs of housing, health care and child care, she wrote in a Chicago Sun-Times candidate questionnaire. She has supported several Biden administration policies, such as capping insulin co-payments at $35 and canceling student loan debt.
A self-employed software consultant from Oswego, Marter said he’s been engaged in local Republican politics for about a decade, including chairing Kendall County’s Republican Party and serving as a precinct captain. The 61-year-old has also served on Oswego’s elected library board. Since 2018, he has run three failed campaigns to win the Republican nomination that he soundly secured in the March primary.
In his candidate questionnaire, Marter, one of former President Donald Trump’s 2024 delegates, echoed Trump rhetoric when he listed the district’s top challenge — followed by inflation — as “the INVASION at the Southern border, which brings criminals, drugs, crime, sex trafficking.”
“I will defend our values, to SAVE America and the America Dream,” he wrote.