Champaign, IL – Daniel Biss concluded The Road Forward State Tour on Sunday. After traveling over two thousand miles, hosting and attending more than thirty events, and receiving six endorsements from elected officials, Daniel completes the tour with deepened relationships in communities across the state and a growing movement of supporters committed to building an Illinois that works for the rest of us.
Daniel spent the last few days of The Road Forward State Tour in Cairo, Du Quoin, Metro East, and Champaign, joining roundtable discussions with community leaders and local events with voters.
On Friday, Daniel spent his morning learning about the housing crisis in Cairo before heading to Du Quoin for the Twilight Parade and State Fair. At a roundtable discussion in Cairo, faith leaders and housing advocates shared with Daniel how decades of disinvestment have resulted in the present crises surrounding public housing and public utilities, and emphasized the need for immediate relief as well as long term solutions.
After the discussion, one of the leaders took Daniel on a tour of the housing project in which she, her children, and much of her extended family live. She invited Daniel inside her own home, sharing what it’s like to live in a community facing imminent threats of eviction.
After his morning in Cairo, Daniel went to Du Quoin to march with his supporters in the Twilight Parade and meet Du Quoin residents at the State Fair.
On Saturday, Daniel attended Congresswoman Cheri Bustos’ Downstate Forum & BBQ, joined Senator Dave Koehler at the United Automobile Workers event in Peoria, and co-hosted a town hall in Collinsville with Indivisible chapters in the 12th, 13th, and 15th districts.
At Congresswoman Cheri Bustos’ Downstate Forum & BBQ, Daniel answered several questions about his vision, including one about how to improve the economy in more rural parts of the state.
“It’s about investing in communities the state has walked away from,” said Daniel. “We need to build a Democratic Party that doesn’t write places off—that doesn’t write people off. We need a party that empowers people everywhere, that makes sure our small businesses are competitive with their peers across state lines, that we’re investing in infrastructure projects from bridges to broadband, and that we’re building a clean energy economy.”
Later Saturday morning, Senator Dave Koehler introduced Daniel to local members of the United Automobile Workers. Daniel spoke about the state of organized labor and his work as chairman of the Senate Labor Committee.
“We need to fight Rauner’s anti-union agenda, but that’s not nearly enough,” said Daniel. “We also need to fight for policies to grow the middle class. But when I tried to do that—when I co-sponsored legislation to raise the minimum wage to $15 and to prevent wage theft—Rauner vetoed both bills. That’s why we can’t just work around Rauner’s agenda. We need to get rid of him and unite our state around a new vision that puts families like ours first.”
On Saturday evening, Daniel co-hosted a town hall in Collinsville with local Indivisible groups. Daniel shared his ideas and took questions, including one from an attendee concerned about how Daniel will protect women’s health.
“Throughout my time in Springfield, I’ve fought to protect women’s health and prevent economic discrimination,” said Daniel. “I’ve learned that being a good ally isn’t just about leading—it’s about listening too. It’s about listening to stories of hardships accessing healthcare and challenges demanding fair pay. And it’s about working with those people to create solutions and to make sure those solutions actually solve the problems.
“And we aren’t nearly done. Just last week, Rauner vetoed a bill I sponsored to interrupt cycles of wage discrimination that hold back so many women in this state. When I’m governor, I promise to fight for women’s rights—not just by devising solutions myself, but by bringing women into the decision-making process so we can build a government that works for all of us.”
Daniel concluded the tour on Sunday at the University of Illinois’ annual Quad Day, meeting students and discussing their experiences growing up in Illinois, hearing their ideas on political issues, and sharing his vision.
For more details and to follow along, visit DanielBiss.com/Road-Forward or follow #RoadForwardIL.
