About Jennifer

About Jennifer
Democrat for Congress | IL-15

Jennifer Todd is a second-generation nurse, a proud single mom, the daughter of a veteran, and a native Illinoisan

Jennifer spent her life serving others, not chasing political power, and now she’s running for Congress in Illinois’ 15th District to make sure working families, rural communities, and everyday people finally have a voice in Washington.

Born and raised in southern Illinois, Jennifer knows what it’s like to work night shifts and still come up short on bills. She has experienced being on Medicaid, SNAP, and unemployment. She knows the struggles Central Illinois families are facing.

As a registered nurse and a former school nurse, Jennifer has seen the hospital closures, school budget cuts, and broken promises from politicians that deeply hurt our families. That’s why she’s stepping up now to fight for the people she lives alongside every day.

Jennifer’s campaign is rooted in showing up, listening, and doing the work.

Since launching in January, she’s visited more than half of the 35 counties in Central Illinois, holding town halls, meeting with farmers, veterans, teachers, healthcare workers, and hardworking families. She has been hearing one consistent message: central Illinois families are tired of being forgotten.

She’s running against Mary Miller, one of Congress’s most extreme and least effective members, who voted to slash Medicare, veterans’ care, rural healthcare funding, and even many basic public services. Jennifer believes we deserve better, someone who’s grounded in community, driven by values, and ready to serve with integrity. Her platform is focused on expanding access to healthcare, defending public education, and ensuring our veterans and working families get the resources they’ve earned.

Jennifer Todd is not a political insider; she’s a neighbor, a nurse, and a fighter. And she’s ready to bring real representation to IL-15.

Why I'm Running

I’m running for Congress because families in Central and Southern Illinois deserve a representative who knows their struggles, speaks their language, and fights for their future, not someone who uses our district as a platform for national extremism. 

I’m a second-generation registered nurse, a mom, the daughter and granddaughter of a veteran, and a native Illinoisan. I’ve worked overnight shifts, relied on Medicaid and SNAP to keep my family afloat, and felt the stress of trying to make ends meet. I know what it’s like to fall asleep worried about health, bills, and whether our leaders even remember families like ours exist.

Too many of our rural hospitals are closing, too many of our schools are underfunded, and too many of our communities are being left behind. And our voice in Washington, Mary Miller, votes to slash funding for health care, public services, and veterans, the very people she’s meant to represent. I believe our district deserves someone who shows up, listens, and works side-by-side with the people she represents. 

Since launching this campaign in January, I’ve visited more than half of the 35 counties in IL-15, listening to farmers, teachers, nurses, veterans, small business owners, and young families. What I hear is the same everywhere: Republicans are exhausted by the chaos, Independents feel ignored, and Democrats are ready to fight again.

I’m not a political insider or a wealthy self-funder. I’m a neighbor who believes deeply in service, community, responsibility, and empathy, values I learned from my parents, from nursing, and from this district. I’m running because IL-15 deserves more than sound bites and broken promises. We deserve leadership rooted in compassion, integrity, and hard work. That’s the campaign we’re building together, one conversation, one signature, one county at a time.