Illinois — 12th District

Julie Fortier

Supports universal healthcare coverage

Fortier advocates transitioning the U.S. toward a universal healthcare system to lower rising costs of insurance, prescription drugs, and medical care. She proposes studying successful international models and collaborating with Congress to design a plan that prevents families from experiencing medical bankruptcy.

• Advocates moving the United States toward a Universal Health Care system.
• Proposes studying international healthcare implementations to identify workable U.S. policies.
• Cites rising costs of insurance, prescription drugs, and medical services as an emergency for working families.

“Our country needs to start moving toward Universal Health Care.”

“Universal healthcare, however, is not an overnight fix. I will research how other countries have implemented universal healthcare and study what aspects might work in the US.”

Mike Bost

Opposes Obamacare and supports market competition

Bost opposes the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and favors market-oriented healthcare reforms that preserve individual choice. He supports allowing businesses to pool health plans for premium discounts and expanding the Medicare Advantage program.

• Opposes Obamacare while supporting popular provisions like coverage for pre-existing conditions and keeping young adults on parents' plans.
• Supports allowing small businesses and associations to pool health plans to secure premium discounts.
• Advocates expanding Medicare Advantage to increase competition and drive down healthcare costs.

“Mike believes that Southern Illinoisans should have the right to make their own health care choices.”

“He wants to encourage more, not less competition, in the Medicare system by expanding, not shrinking, the popular Medicare Advantage program.”

Julie Fortier

Supports fair trade and rural broadband

Fortier supports Southern Illinois farmers by advocating fair-trade agreements and competitive markets for crops and livestock. She also champions expanding high-speed broadband internet to rural areas to support agriculture, local businesses, and student education.

• Supports competitive markets and fair-trade agreements for crop and livestock farmers.
• Advocates federal investment in rural broadband internet expansion.
• Links broadband expansion directly to modern farm management, rural business operations, and student schooling.

“Farmers in Southern Illinois, and throughout the United States deserve competitive markets and fair-trade agreements for their crops and livestock.”

“Broadband internet access is fundamental to running businesses and farms.”

Mike Bost

Supports farm deregulation and Farm Bill tools

Bost, a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, focuses on cutting federal regulatory burdens that affect farmers and ranchers. He supports risk mitigation tools in the Farm Bill, credit access legislation for beginning farmers, and investments in rural broadband.

• Serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the General Farm Commodities Risk Management and Credit Subcommittee.
• Fought to reduce federal regulations on agricultural producers.
• Supported Farm Bill risk mitigation tools and sponsored legislation helping beginning farmers access credit.
• Voted for major federal investments in rural broadband for under-served areas.

“Protecting our agricultural economy is vital to the sustainability of Southern Illinois. That’s why Mike has fought to reduce regulatory burdens that strangle our farmers and ranchers.”

Julie Fortier

Supports regional, community-led job growth

Fortier pledges to partner with Southern Illinois community leaders to attract businesses suited to local needs. Her economic strategy focuses on supporting working families and fostering regional business development.

• Proposes working directly with Southern Illinois municipal and community leaders to bring suitable businesses to the region.
• Centers campaign economics around supporting working families and job growth.

“By working with community leaders throughout Southern Illinois, who know what works in their cities and towns, Julie will work hard to bring in businesses that will make sense in a region.”

Mike Bost

Supports tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks

Bost promotes economic growth through tax cuts and reducing government regulations. He voted for tax reform providing an average tax cut over $2,200 for local families and supports Trump-era trade deals to protect domestic workers.

• Voted for Tax Reform legislation providing an average tax cut exceeding $2,200 to Southern Illinois families.
• Supported rolling back Obama-era regulations and opposes Biden-Pelosi spending plans.
• Supports Trump-era trade deals to protect American workers and the domestic economy.

“Mike voted for Tax Reform legislation, which gives an average tax cut of over $2,200 to Southern Illinois families.”

Julie Fortier

Opposes VA privatization

As an Air Force veteran, Fortier prioritizes supporting military veterans and firmly opposes privatizing the Department of Veterans Affairs. She contends that privatization profits corporate entities at the expense of veterans relying on VA healthcare.

• Opposes privatization of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Emphasizes her personal background as a U.S. Air Force veteran.
• Pledges to ensure the VA remains fully dedicated to direct veteran care.

“Privatizing the VA will only put money in the pockets of those who run it and do a disservice to the veterans who depend on it.”

“I will work to ensure that the VA is not privatized and can continue to do what it was meant to do: serve the veterans who have given so much to our country.”

Mike Bost

Supports robust veteran healthcare funding

A Marine Corps veteran, Bost served as Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. He focuses on delivering high-quality healthcare and resources to veterans while advocating for local military assets like Scott Air Force Base.

• Served as Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
• Served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an electronic specialist and radar repairman.
• Advocates strong national defense budgets and support for Scott Air Force Base.

“A retired U.S. Marine Corps Corporal and the Lead Republican on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Mike is working hard to Provide the Best Care for our Veterans who so bravely served our Country.”

Julie Fortier

Supports protecting voting and constitutional rights

Fortier states that voting and constitutional rights face threats and pledges to defend both for all district constituents. She asserts that every citizen has a right to be heard regardless of demographic or political background.

• Pledges to protect voting and constitutional rights from perceived threats.
• Emphasizes equal representation regardless of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation.

“In a turbulent time where voting and constitutional rights are being threatened, I will work to ensure that both are kept intact for all of the constituents in District 12.”

“Every voice, regardless of their race, religion, gender, and political affiliation has a right to be heard.”

Mike Bost

Supports proof of citizenship for voting

Bost supports stricter voting registration requirements. In the 119th Congress, he voted for the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) to mandate documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering for federal elections.

• Voted for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act requiring proof of citizenship to register for federal elections.

Julie Fortier

Supports equal access to quality public education

Fortier advocates ensuring that every student in District 12 has access to high-quality public education regardless of location. She views public schooling as the foundation for future career and academic success.

• Advocates federal support to guarantee quality public education access across all communities.
• Frames public education as essential preparation for post-secondary education and workforce entry.

“All students, regardless of the community in which they live, should have access to a quality public education, and I will work to ensure that those needs are met throughout District 12.”

Mike Bost

Supports restricting transgender sports participation

While Bost does not outline a general education platform on his campaign site, he voted in Congress for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to restrict school athletic program eligibility based on biological sex.

• Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (H.R. 28) prohibiting biological males from women's school sports.

Mike Bost

Opposes Social Security privatization and advocates budget cuts

Bost advocates reining in federal spending and balancing the budget to curb growing deficits. On entitlement programs, he explicitly opposes privatizing Social Security, raising the retirement age, or increasing payroll taxes.

• Opposes efforts to privatize Social Security, raise the retirement age, or increase payroll taxes.
• Advocates balancing the federal budget by cutting government spending.
• Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 to raise the debt limit alongside spending controls.

“Mike opposes efforts to privatize, raise the retirement age or increase the payroll tax.”

“Congress must make decisions that balance our federal budget in a reasonable, responsible way that leaves a country to our children and grandchildren better than the one we inherited.”

Mike Bost

Supports border wall and strict immigration enforcement

Bost supports constructing a southern border wall and enforcing the Remain in Mexico policy. In Congress, he voted for the Laken Riley Act and legislation making DUI convictions grounds for deporting unauthorized immigrants.

• Supports constructing a wall along the southern border.
• Supports enforcing the Remain in Mexico Policy.
• Voted for the Laken Riley Act (S.5) requiring DHS to detain unauthorized immigrants arrested for theft or burglary.
• Voted for H.R. 875 making driving under the influence grounds for deportation or inadmissibility.

“Mike supports building a wall along our southern border and supports enforcing President Trump’s Remain in Mexico Policy.”

Mike Bost

Supports all-of-the-above energy and coal production

Bost champions an 'all-of-the-above' national energy strategy that includes utilizing Southern Illinois' coal deposits and fossil fuels. He serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advocating for regional infrastructure.

• Supports an all-of-the-above energy policy utilizing fossil fuels, coal, and new production technologies.
• Served as chief negotiator for the Illinois Hydraulic Fracturing Regulation Act in 2013 during his state legislative tenure.
• Serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

“Mike has consistently supported an all-of-the above energy policy that makes use of all our nation’s resources.”

Mike Bost

Opposes abortion access and supports pro-life policies

Bost takes a strongly pro-life position, maintaining that human life begins at conception. He campaigns on protecting unborn life and opposing federal abortion expansion.

• Maintains an unapologetically pro-life stance based on the belief that life begins at conception.
• Endorsed by former President Donald Trump as a candidate who will 'Protect Life'.

“Mike is unapologetically pro-life. He believes that life begins at conception and has been fighting for pro-life principles his entire adult life.”

Mike Bost

Opposes gun restrictions and defends Second Amendment

Bost strongly opposes gun control legislation, asserting that Second Amendment rights must be preserved at all levels of government. He has received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund.

• Opposes gun control measures and supports defending firearm ownership rights.
• Endorsed by the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF).

“We have a constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms and it must be preserved and defended at all levels of government. Period.”

Julie Fortier

Rejects corporate PAC and AIPAC funding

Fortier highlights campaign integrity by rejecting contributions from corporate PACs and AIPAC. She focuses her outreach strategy on holding public town halls throughout the district.

• Refuses campaign contributions from Corporate PACs and AIPAC.
• Pledges to conduct accessible town halls across the district.

“No Corporate PAC/AIPAC Money Accepted”