IL · Candidate
Julie Fortier
DCandidate
On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: U.S. House · Illinois's 12th District
Biography
Julie Fortier is the Democratic nominee for Illinois's 12th District and a first-time candidate. A U.S. Air Force veteran, she works in cancer research and has lived in O'Fallon for more than 30 years. Her campaign website lists universal health care, jobs, public education, voting rights, rural broadband and protecting the VA from privatization among her priorities.[1][2][3]
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] This is her first political campaign, and she advanced from the March 17, 2026 Democratic primary unopposed.[1][2]
- 1.Julie Fortier · Ballotpedia Reference
- 2.Transcript: Democratic congressional candidate Julie Fortier on economy, gun laws, and Southern Illinois voters · Illinois Public Media (WILL) · 2026-10-21 News report
- 3.Meet the candidates running to represent Illinois 12th Congressional District · Daily Egyptian · 2026-10-21 News report
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
