Felix Tello

Felix Tello (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 7th Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 17, 2026.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We the People. Every bill, every vote—your voice shapes Congress. I will make our district a national model for direct, digital, and transparent representation. Through bill-by-bill accountability, you decide how I vote. Our agenda: five prioritized Acts ready to introduce and build coalitions to pass. No more broken promises—true voter consultation becomes representative action. Together, we restore trust and lead the way for real and sustainable change.If we are to be a successful Republic, Representation must evolve to accountable representation, not decades of old model of electing good talkers and promise makers, only to find out they have turned their back on the district and now follow special interest, financer buy a puppet so that they can stay in power for many many years and delivering little in return for our support. I will use secure digital platforms to give every voter real-time access to bills, votes, and progress. And for 10 to 15 minutes every week vote yes or no, I will follow No more closed doors—every decision will be transparent and accountable. Technology empowers us to make democracy participatory again, ensuring your voice is heard and acted upon in Congress.As a pragmatic progressive, I solve challenges with the heart of an engineer—not as an old-school politician. Passion without pragmatism leads to paralysis: Medicare for All, voting rights, climate action, and student debt relief have stalled in Congress. Real progress demands strategy, coalition-building, and results—not slogans. My action plan delivers incremental victories and messaging that resonates with everyday Americans. See our Districts legislative agenda in these five (5) Acts.

https://www.felixforcongress.org/your-legislative-agenda-1

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

In the first 85 days walking the district and meeting over 4,000 people—while personally collecting every signature to get on the ballot—I became deeply attuned to our community’s priorities. Of the five Acts in our legislative agenda, residents asked me to focus on democracy (Democracy Forward Act) and the economy and jobs (Economic Engine and Jobs Act). But we’re also passionate about immigration reform, health and human rights, and pragmatic, community-driven solutions (The Village Act). These five Acts reflect 80% of the 30–40 topics we discussed. It was truly a pleasure getting to know the district and its soulful desire for congressional action—not more rhetoric.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

While I met with Black coalition groups, union leadership, Latino organizations, and Democratic Party leaders, I did not actively seek their endorsements. Instead, I offered to represent their agendas through the voting members of their groups—never placing any single interest above that of our district. I’ve taken an oath to represent all constituents directly, bill by bill. My alignment with any group’s agenda is only because it reflects the will of our voters. Discussions with groups whose priorities did not align with the district were brief.