88th Statehouse District Candidate - Regan Deering

Regan Deering
Republican running for State Representative of the 88th District

1. How do we bring the citizens of Illinois together to work on solutions and opportunities non-dependent on party lines?
Illinois’ problems are not partisan. Every family, regardless of political party, wants what is best for themselves and their community. There is some disagreement around how we do that, but the citizens of Illinois are relatively united on the need for solutions for the significant problems that our state faces. It is the politicians who are divided.
Recent polling has found that most Illinoisans believe the state is headed in the wrong direction and are concerned about core issues like taxes, inflation, crime, and immigration. Even on less obvious issues, most voters support policies like the extension of the Invest in Kids Act or the need for fair maps and term limits.
What Illinois lacks are elected officials willing to work on the non-partisan solutions supported by the majority of Illinoisans. Those are the commonsense issues I will lead on in Springfield: lowering taxes and spending, promoting agriculture as the backbone of a booming economy, securing our border, and protecting our rights.

2.  With so many economic opportunities in the carbon market how do we accomplish this safety, personal property rights and up-front science-based information?
Economic opportunity and growth solve many of the problems local families face and many of our state's fiscal challenges. Promoting economic growth must be a cornerstone of any successful policy agenda in Illinois. But that must be balanced by respect for private property rights and ensuring safety. This is possible by involving stakeholders in transparent discussions and utilizing expert insights. We can navigate the carbon market effectively for Illinois while protecting individual rights.

3. As an elected official of Illinois what can we do to encourage the citizens of Illinois to have trust in the political arena and the politicians of Illinois?
We need elected officials who are worthy of trust.
For the fourth year in a row, Illinois was ranked the most corrupt state in the nation. The nation's most powerful and longest-serving Speaker of the House is under indictment. The husband of a sitting Supreme Court Justice was just found guilty of racketeering, extortion, and bribery.
We need elected officials focused on delivering results for local families rather than enriching themselves. I am leading by example by rejecting the government pension because I don’t want to be part of the broken and corrupt system.
I support term limits, fair maps, and legislative procedure reform because we need to create a legislative and political system deserving of trust.

4. What is your position on the CO2 pipelines being proposed?
I strongly support private property rights and see the economic benefits of CO2 pipelines. I look forward to learning more about the issue, hearing from constituents and experts, and reviewing environmental, economic, and community impact assessments.
We must weigh the benefits against potential risks, ensuring decisions are in the best interest of Illinoisans.

5. If a piece of legislation were to pass with your opposition, and if the original sponsors were to come back and make changes, would you stand on your principles or approve the changes?
If, on balance, a piece of legislation reduces taxes or spending, promotes economic opportunity or a booming agricultural sector, protects our freedoms or reduces government intrusion, I will likely support it. Who introduced it, the personalities at play, or past votes won’t prevent me from championing good policy. But the key is that it must be good policy.

6. On a daily basis, how would you go about building relationships with the majority?
Politics is an exercise in prioritizing competing values and goals. Sometimes, it will be contentious because important values are at stake. But it doesn’t have to be nasty. I’ve always remained fact-based and issue-focused, which is what I’ll do in Springfield.

I’ll bring the compassionate and empathetic approach that has allowed me to successfully work with people of all political and demographic backgrounds to accomplish great results, whether in the classroom, through the Northeast Community Fund, or on my local school board.

I believe strongly that the best society for the most people is one that respects individual freedom, incentivizes risk and investment, and delivers services to those truly in need. As a full time legislator, I’ll work to build a consensus around that vision.