Nikki Budzinski
Won the March 17, 2026 Democratic primary with 75.1% of the vote
Nikki Budzinski is the Democratic U.S. Representative for Illinois's 13th District, first elected in 2022. She previously served as chief of staff of the federal Office of Management and Budget and as a senior advisor in the Office of the Governor of Illinois.[1]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Key votes in Congress
- YesWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · H. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · 2026-06-03 roll call ↗The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran that Congress has not authorized, invoking the War Powers Resolution. It passed the House with support from Democrats and a number of Republicans.
- YesResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · H.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · 2026-02-11 roll call ↗The resolution terminates the national emergency the President declared in February 2025 to justify a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, ending that tariff if it becomes law. It passed with a bipartisan majority, including several Republicans who broke with the administration on trade policy.
- NoConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government funding · H.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · 2026-02-03 roll call ↗The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026.
- YesBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · H.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · 2026-01-08 roll call ↗The bill extends for additional years the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were expanded in 2021 and had lapsed at the end of 2025, lowering health-insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on ACA marketplaces. It passed with support from nearly all Democrats and a small group of Republicans.
- YesWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela · H. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · 2025-12-17 roll call ↗The resolution would have directed the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized. It failed after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela had raised questions in Congress about the administration's legal authority for military action in the region.
- NoNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passage · S. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · 2025-12-10 roll call ↗The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. It also sets policy on military personnel, procurement, and other Defense Department programs for the year.
- YesEpstein Files Transparency Act · H.R. 4405 · Passed 427–1 · 2025-11-18 roll call ↗The bill directs the Department of Justice to publicly release its investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days, while allowing redactions to protect victim identities, ongoing investigations, and law enforcement techniques. It passed with near-unanimous support.
- NoContinuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending vote · H.R. 5371 · Passed 222–209 · 2025-11-12 roll call ↗The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. It also reversed shutdown-related federal layoffs and funded SNAP benefits retroactively.
- YesCLARITY Act — digital asset market structure · H.R. 3633 · Passed 294–134 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The CLARITY Act creates a regulatory framework dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It sets registration and disclosure requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other digital-asset intermediaries.
- YesGENIUS Act — stablecoin regulation · S. 1582 · Passed 308–122 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and to comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation enacted into federal law.
- NoOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 218–214 · 2025-07-03 roll call ↗H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and raises the cap on state and local tax deductions. It increases border security and defense spending while cutting projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adding new work requirements; President Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.
- NoRescissions Act of 2025 · H.R. 4 · Passed 214–212 · 2025-06-12 roll call ↗The Rescissions Act canceled about $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, mostly for foreign aid programs and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was the first rescissions package Congress had approved in decades.
- NoOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 215–214 · 2025-05-22 roll call ↗H.R. 1 extends and modifies the 2017 individual and business tax cuts, creates new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and increases spending on border security and defense. It also reduces projected spending on Medicaid and food-assistance programs and adds new work requirements for some recipients.
- NoSAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · H.R. 22 · Passed 220–208 · 2025-04-10 roll call ↗The SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish procedures to remove noncitizens identified on voter rolls.
- NoFull-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 · H.R. 1968 · Passed 217–213 · 2025-03-11 roll call ↗The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown ahead of a March 14 deadline. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations.
- YesLaken Riley Act — final passage · S. 5 · Passed 263–156 · 2025-01-22 roll call ↗The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions.
- NoSecure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · H.R. 2 · Passed 219–213 · 2023-05-11 roll call ↗Would have resumed border-wall construction, restricted asylum eligibility, expanded detention, and mandated E-Verify for employers.
On the record — official actions
- actionIn the 119th Congress (2025-2026), serves on the Committee on Agriculture (Commodity Markets, Digital Assets and Rural Development; Conservation, Research and Biotechnology; General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Credit) and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs (Technology Modernization).[1]
Positions on the issues
- SupportsProtect legal access to abortion
Says she is working to restore the protections granted under Roe v. Wade and protect access to medications such as Mifepristone, and has cosponsored legislation creating a statutory right to abortion care.[6]
“That is why In Congress, I will fight tirelessly to ensure we restore the protections granted under Roe v. Wade and fight to protect access to medications such as Mifepristone.”
- MixedExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes
Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted no on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11).[12][13][14][15][16]
What they say: (their stated position — opposes — differs from their votes) Voted three times against legislation that would have given ICE and Customs and Border Protection an additional $70 billion in funding without added oversight or accountability, and called for the removal of the Secretary of Homeland Security.[7]
“I voted 3 times against legislation that would have handed ICE and Customs and Border Protection an additional $70 billion without meaningful oversight, accountability, or reforms.”
- SupportsExpand public health coverageFrom recorded votes
Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted yes on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08).[13][14][15][17]
What they say: Voted against what she describes as the largest cut to Medicaid in history and is working to restore expanded Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.[8]
“I voted NO on the largest cut to Medicaid in history, pushed by President Trump and House Republicans.”
- SupportsIncrease police funding and staffing
Says she has opposed calls to "defund" the police and has supported federal grant programs providing more resources to local law enforcement agencies.[9]
“I’ve opposed calls to “defund” the police and supported a variety of federal grant programs that provide more resources to our local law enforcement agencies — particularly those in rural communities.”
- OpposesPublic funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)
Says she is strongly opposed to efforts to privatize the school system through vouchers.[10]
“Public schools are critical to supporting our nation’s future. That’s why I am strongly opposed to efforts to privatize our school system through vouchers.”
- SupportsFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes
Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.[13][14][15]
What they say: (their stated position — mixed — differs from their votes) Supports an "all-of-the-above" energy approach that includes continued use of natural gas as a "transition fuel" alongside expanded nuclear, wind and solar and clean-energy tax incentives.[11]
“Keeping energy affordable means increasing supply. That includes accelerating the deployment of clean energy sources like nuclear, wind, and solar while also utilizing transition fuels such as natural gas to ensure reliability and meet demand.”
- SupportsRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes
Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.[13][14][15]
- OpposesBroad tariffs on imported goodsFrom recorded votes
Voted yes on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11).[18]
In their words — priorities
- Says she has spent her career fighting for workers and is focused in Congress on passing the PRO Act and improving pathways to good-paying jobs, including through apprenticeship programs.[3]
- Says she is working to bring down high prices at the grocery store and gas pump for working families through measures like a middle-class child tax cut and capping insulin costs.[4]
- Says she is focused on delivering a strong, bipartisan farm bill that supports family farmers and rural communities as a member of the House Committee on Agriculture.[5]
Background
- Born in Peoria, Illinois; earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.[1]
- Worked on the campaigns of Chris Dodd, Hillary Clinton, and J.B. Pritzker.[1]
- Served as chief of staff of the federal Office of Management and Budget and as a senior advisor with the Office of the Governor of Illinois, where she chaired the Broadband Advisory Council.[1]
- President of Budzinski & Partners, LLC, a political consulting firm.[1]
Campaign money
Raised $2.9M · spent $2.0M · $2.6M cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗