Julie Fortier

Fortier told Illinois Public Media that she grew up primarily in Colorado and graduated high school near Cincinnati, Ohio.[2] She served four years in the U.S. Air Force as an enlisted member, mostly in Germany with temporary duty in several other countries, including Qatar during Desert Shield, and was later stationed at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.[2][1] She earned bachelor's degrees in biology and mathematics from McKendree University and a Ph.D. in biomedical science (research pathology) from Saint Louis University.[2]

Fortier works as a scientific writer in biomedical research on multiple myeloma, helping researchers obtain the samples they need, and spends some time in the lab.[2] She has lived in O'Fallon for more than 30 years; she says she met her husband at Scott Air Force Base and that they raised their children there.[2][3] It was her first political campaign, and she advanced from the March 17, 2026 Democratic primary unopposed.[1][2] Her campaign website listed universal health care, jobs, public education, voting rights, rural broadband and protecting the VA from privatization among her priorities.[1][2][3] She received 30.3% of the vote to Mike Bost's 69.7%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[4]