Nikki Budzinski is One Democrat Getting it Right
Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield) speaks at an event on Capitol Hill in 2024. (Photo: CQ/Roll Call)
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OPINION
When Democratic members of the Illinois congressional delegation tried to protest President Trump’s not-a-State of the Union speech this week, their efforts mostly fell flat. That includes Congressman Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove) who just skipped the event and crowed about it on social media or Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville) who found a prime spot for the TV cameras to show off her side eye skills.
One Illinois Democrat who didn’t peacock for the cameras was Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield).
She showed up. She sat quietly. She took in every word.
In today’s Washington, where the giant punchbowl is filled with made-for-cable TV primadonnas, Budzinski stands out as someone, whether a Republican or Democrat, who actually wants to get things done.
If you would have known my relationship with Budzinski, or lack thereof, in the summer of 2022, you never would have expected to see this opinion piece. She and her D.C. campaign staffers didn’t want anything to do with me. I was seen as the Republican or the “Rodney Davis guy” (I worked on Davis’ first campaign in 2012) and, in typical campaign angst, wouldn’t’ let me talk to her for this newsletter or when I filled in on Springfield radio.
When we finally connected in the fall of 2022, we had a pretty standard conversation on the radio, minus a stalemate over abortion.
In complete honesty, I expected another run-of-the-mill Democrat who would hold a gerrymandered Democratic seat, never reach across the aisle, and would look and sound like most of the other 15 Democrats in Congress from Illinois.
To say the least, Budzinski has vastly exceeded my expectations.
Budzinski has carved out a moderate, thoughtful position on most issues with a focus on getting things done. As a farm kid with a background in ag policy, I’ve been incredibly with her work on renewable fuels and in support of a new farm bill.
She’s also been really “stand up” at times when many Democratic politicians refuse to engage. Budzinski came on the radio with me the morning after Kamala Harris lost the 2024 election. Not easy. She came on the radio with me on Inauguration Day and after this week’s proto-SOTU. And I don’t throw softballs. It’s a great message for politicians to know that they have to be accessible (looking at you, Senator Durbin, who has never granted me an interview request since launching this newsletter 4 1/2 years ago.)
Budzinski got a lot of help with the map in 2021 that drew Rodney Davis out and made his old 13th District even more Democratic. It’s probably her seat as long as she wants it, especially if Democrats continue to hold gerrymandering power in 2030. But, even Republicans I talk to in that district have few major complaints about her (outside of abortion and maybe labor.)
She’s a framework for how Democrats around the country can start to win purple and light red districts. If Democrats find more candidates in Iowa and Minnesota and Wisconsin and Ohio that sound more like Budzinski than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and it could be a blueprint for success.
For now, though, I’m happy she’s working for us.
