Endorsement: Moeller for state House Dist. 43
This endorsement is a consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.
Anna Moeller admits her legislative pursuits since she began representing the 43rd House District in 2014 have not been "splashy."
Rather, she has focused on helping those she feels don't have much of a voice have better lives.
She chaired the House human services committee during the pandemic and watched as nursing home residents were disproportionately affected and killed by it. She pushed for nursing home funding reform that ensures better quality of care.
She also championed legislation that seeks to narrow the wage gap between men and women by making it unlawful for employers to ask about prior pay. She explained that oftentimes when women leave the workforce and then return, their salaries tend to be based on that of previous jobs.
There is one point in which Moeller did make a big splash. That was when she joined 18 other Democrats to vote against then-House Speaker Michael Madigan keeping his leadership position.
She's chaired the House green caucus that's concerned with climate issues. This is important for her Elgin-based district, which is developing as a hub for alternate energy manufacturing.
Her Republican opponent is Angela Nowak, a teacher. She declined an interview with the editorial board to discuss her campaign.
Moeller is endorsed.
The 43rd District includes portions of Elgin and Carpentersville.