Rock Island Today

The Chicago Tribune has endorsed Brandi McGuire for the Republican nomination for state representative in the Quad Cities’ 72nd District.

The major newspaper said that although McGuire earned national notoriety when she won a lawsuit against her daughter’s school district for banning her daughter’s service dog from attending school with her, there are more reasons why McGuire would be a good representative in Springfield.

“She would be a voice of reason in a budget standoff that is harming the state's most vulnerable,” the Chicago Tribune said. “Living close to the Iowa border and watching Illinois residents and businesses hop west across the Mississippi River, McGuire says property tax reform and reducing workers' compensation costs here will be among her top priorities in Springfield. McGuire is endorsed.”

McGuire also has received endorsements from the Illinois Federation for Right to Life PAC and Illinois Restoration PAC.

The conservative candidate has said advocating for people living with disabilities is one of her top priorities. Her daughter, Kellsey, has epileptic seizures.

McGuire’s Liberty Principles PAC campaign ad stated her faith compelled her to want to be a servant to others, and she plans “to serve those who have been ignored or treated badly by the state government they finance.”

On her website, McGuire states she is running for state representative “so that no child and no family ever has to go through what my daughter and my family went through."

McGuire has also been vocal about the need for pension reform and told Rock Island Today that she would not take a pension.

“I don’t believe that legislators should be receiving pensions, I don’t think this is a career,” McGuire said. “It is a public service, and I think we need to go back to what it was intended (to) be and that is (what) it was intended to be. So I will not take a pension, which is a big thing for me.”

McGuire was born and raised in Rock Island County. She graduated from Sherrard High School and Black Hawk College, and runs her family-owned small business in East Moline. She is the founder of Ribbons for Kellsey.

McGuire is running against fellow Republican Jordan Thoms, and Democrats Jeffrey Jacobs of Moline; Michael Halpin of Rock Island; Glen Evans, a minister also of Rock Island; and Katelyn Hotle, a Rock Island City Council member. Retiring incumbent Rep. Patrick Verschoore has endorsed Jacobs, an attorney.