Name: Jonathan Dean

What office are you seeking: U.S. Senator

What is your political party? Democratic

What is your current age? 43

Occupation and employer: Solar Energy Entrepreneur at Solar Endeavor LLC; Partner at Dean Law LLC

What offices, if any, have you previously held? None

City: Chicago

Campaign website: dean4il.com

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations, University of Minnesota

Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Economics, University of Minnesota

Law Degree, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law

Community involvement: Currently, I work in several neighborhood ICE watch groups.

Marital status/Immediate family: I am happily married with two small kids and protecting their future is my primarily motivation in running for US Senate.

What are your top three legislative priorities for your first year in the U.S. Senate?

(1) Addressing the affordability crisis by temporarily allowing folks to use pretax dollars for everyday necessities, such as groceries, child care, and student loan payments;

(2) Raising the minimum wage to $26/hour;

(3) Abolishing ICE and forming a Senate select committee to investigate and atone for ICE abuses.

Should the Senate eliminate the filibuster? Do you support term limits for senators, and if so, what limits?

Yes, the Senate should eliminate the filibuster. I support terms limits of two-terms for Senators. I have also taken a pledge to only serve two-terms in the Senate once elected.

How do you plan to work with or oppose the Trump administration? What’s your approach to bipartisanship?

I plan to oppose much of the Trump administration’s priorities, because their priorities are boiled down into either making life more unaffordable for Americans (tariffs, tax cuts for billionaires) or endangering the security of Americans via either ICE activity or via reckless foreign policy, such as the invasion of Venezuela or threatening to take Greenland, which would destroy NATO.

How would you address inflation and rising costs for Illinois families?

Republicans have repealed key parts of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including provisions supporting renewable energy, and these repeals have raised electricity prices. So I would re-institute those parts of the IRA. I would also allow temporary programs for households to use pre-tax dollars on groceries, child care and student loan payments until the affordability crisis gets under control. This would lower tax burdens for working people and put more money in their pocket to pay for their monthly expenses.

What federal actions should Congress take to improve health care affordability?

Medicare for All.

Do you support changes to Social Security or Medicare to ensure long-term solvency?

Yes, we should tax billionaires to ensure long term solvency of both social security and Medicare.

The administration has described the $12 billion aid package to farmers as a “bridge payment” to offset losses from the trade war and tariffs. What changes, if any, would you make to U.S. trade policy to address the challenges facing farmers?

Eliminate tariffs. Increase economic assistance to farmers through loans and grant programs at USDA. And increase antitrust enforcement against the monopolies running the beef industry.

How should the U.S. balance border security with comprehensive immigration reform?

Both are equally important. We should have a strong border, period. We also need comprehensive immigration reform to address the needs of the undocumented immigrants currently in this country. Immigrants working hard and contributing to their communities should be given a path to citizenship.

Do you believe the President should have the constitutional authority to order military strikes and detain a foreign head of state without prior Congressional authorization? Why or why not, and where should Congress draw the line between executive action and its own constitutional war powers?

No, and the president does not have constitutional authority to detain a foreign head of state without congressional authorization. The president only have limited authority to engage in military strikes without congressional authorization. The War Powers Act dictates the president’s authority in this respect, and President Trump violated the Act by invading Venezuela to capture Maduro. The War Powers Act appropriately draws the line by allowing the President to use military force to respond to hostilities from foreign powers for up to 60 days while Congress decides whether to further authorize military force. The constitution is clear that only Congress can declare war.

What is your position on U.S. intervention, specifically Ukraine, Israel and Venezuela?

Venezuela: US intervention thus far has been illegal and short-sighted.

Ukraine: US should support its NATO allies in Europe and the democracy of Ukraine from Russian aggression, including by seizing $300 Billion in Russian assets held in Brussel and transferring those assets to Ukraine for its defense.

Israel: I do not support continued military assistance to Israel, because they have used our assistance to commit a genocide and kill tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians.

Where do you stand on federal legislation regarding abortion access and reproductive rights?

In favor: We must pass federal legislation to protect access to abortion nationwide.

Should federal law protect same-sex marriage rights? What’s your position on LGBTQ+ protections?

In favor: We must pass federal law to protect same sex marriage, and I support LGBTQ+ rights.

Is systemic racism still an issue in the United States? What role should the federal government play in addressing it?

Yes. The federal government should reauthorize an affirmative action program and support DEI programs. And the Democratic Party should be far more aggressive with demonstrating the benefits to Americans, writ large, from these programs.

What climate and energy policies should Illinois prioritize at the federal level?

The development of renewable energy is the single most important climate policy. It will save Americans buckets of money over the long term and leave our children paying next to nothing for energy. It will dramatically improve public health and clean air and will enrich America’s farmers, who can choose to have solar or wind installations on their land while also continuing to develop crops. And it will drive innovation in dozens of new industries and offset the energy demand by the development of AI.

How should Congress regulate artificial intelligence, if at all?

Congress should create a specialized agency to work directly with the AI industry. Right now, Congress has little idea what AI is being developed for what reasons, and the Tech industry is moving very quickly to develop AI. Congress needs to create an expert agency to work with the Tech industry to responsibly develop AI, with appropriate regulation and restriction, so that it can bear the benefits to all Americans with minimal costs.

Do you support the proposed elimination of the Department of Education?

No. The Department of Education should be reestablished as it existed in 2024 and improved to be better and designating federal funds to improve school districts most in need.

Is the CDC a trustworthy, qualified source of information under RFK Jr.?

Kind of. First, RFK should be fired impeached. He is not relying on established medical science and is putting junk science first. Second, Any changes RFK has made to CDC guidance should be disregarded. Longstanding CDC guidelines can still be trusted, so long as it has not been altered by RFK.

How do states’ autonomy balance with federal policy, for example, with abortion rights vs. Immigration enforcement?

Under the Fourteenth Amendment, Congress has power to enforce equal protection and due process rights for all. This has been the case since the civil war and only in overturning Roe v. Wade has any federal entity begun to challenge the established federal power to ensure equal protection and due process. These federal principles are the supreme law of the land, and the federal government has the final word on them. Congress should exercise its powers and pass federal abortion protections and comprehensive immigration enforcement that affirms both equal protection and due process rights for all.

Should private equity and hedge funds be allowed to purchase so many homes?

No. They should not be allowed to purchase any homes.

Do you support or oppose the expansion of work requirements for SNAP recipients? Why?

Oppose. Some people are not able to work, due to disability or mental illness. That does not mean they should be denied SNAP benefits.

Who are your top five donors? How do you ensure donor influence doesn’t compromise your independence?

Myself and several of my friends and family.

I am not taking corporate or special interest money, because I don’t want to work for corporate interests or special interests. I want to work for everyday families.