Illinois 13th Republican primary: Jeff Wilson and Joshua Loyd outline priorities

In the 13th Illinois Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Nikki Budzinski is being challenged by Dylan Blaha in the primary. The winner of that race will face the winner of the Republican primary, either Jeff Wilson or Joshua Loyd.

Joshua Loyd

Joshua Loyd, of Virden, is a native of Southern Illinois, graduated from West Point, and is a veteran. He is married to a fellow West Point graduate.

He has worked as a Republican precinct committeeman and on several political campaigns.

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His website lists numerous policy positions ranging from support of agriculture and the Second Amendment to balancing the preservation of green spaces and national parkland with development and support for vocational education.

“I'm running because I see my generation as being left behind,” he said. “Many in my generation are having a hard time finding satisfying careers, we are having a hard time finding affordable homes, and many of my generation are also complaining about the cost of health care and being able to afford the standard of living within our economy.”

He also said many of the same issues affect the “older generation.”

“If an individual has worked for the last 30, 40 years of their life, yet they are still struggling to make ends meet, that should not occur,” he said.

He also said it is important to give back to the community.

“I served in uniform, and now out of uniform, I want to continue serving and continue giving back,” he said.

He said the major issues in the campaign boil down to the “Three E’s — education, energy an economy.”

Too many Illinois children are unable to read, write or do math.

“Those are our children, our grandchildren,” he added. “Those are the individuals who are trying to get in college and trying to figure a way to afford college tuition and set themselves up for success.”

Regarding energy, he said Illinois is one of the top producers in the nation but still imports billions of dollars’ worth of energy, much of it from Canada.

He added that much of the debate around data centers in Illinois is being driven by energy concerns. Loyd said there is a lot of “bad information” on that topic and that he has been “heavily attacked” because of it.

“There are definitely pros and cons, you know, whether it be water consumption or energy consumption or pollutants in the environment,” he added.

Loyd also noted a “very large disparity” in the energy field that affects the entire economy.

“So we need to bring down the cost of energy, especially here in Illinois, because energy is the number one factor when it comes to our economy, because energy is what drives how cheap we can manufacture our products,” he said.

The larger picture with the economy is the need to bring overall prices down “across the board.” Part of that, he said, is taxes.

“Our government taxes us so much for various expenses that they want to push,” he said. “But if you actually look into how the government spends, it is, it's very lazy; very, very lazy.”

He criticized both his primary opponent and the incumbent, Budzinski.

“She's not really connected with the American people,” he said. “She's connected with the political establishment.”

Jeff Wilson

Jeff Wilson, of Champaign, is retired, has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in nuclear engineering, and serves on the Champaign County Board.

“I’m running because I love Illinois, this great country, and the core conservative values that represent the heartland of America,” he said, adding that those values are not represented in Congress.

He said the top issues are illegal immigration and the economy, crime and corruption, and education and health care.

“Illinois is hurt by illegal immigration and Chicago’s bad economic and social policies,” he said. “A nation, and Illinois, cannot stay free, safe, or prosperous without secure borders and control over who enters and who stays. I fully support the enforcement of our national immigration laws. We can be a welcoming nation and still insist on order, security, and adherence to our laws.”

He also said the economy is recovering from the “devastation” of the previous administration.

He also supports workforce development, affordable housing, and supporting working families, small business owners, and farmers, adding that he is committed to “providing practical common-sense solutions.”

He cited his service as a Navy veteran aboard nuclear submarines, his role as a nuclear engineer, and his status as a “proven public servant.”

“As a conservative leader, I bring together technical expertise and hands-on local government experience to tackle complex policy challenges while staying grounded in the everyday concerns of families, workers, and small business owners throughout the district,” he added.

The most important issue, he said, is “restoring representation of central Illinois back to constitutional conservative values,” caused in part by the “egregious gerrymandering of the present 13th Illinois Congressional District.”

Beyond that, he said the biggest issues are stopping illegal immigration, growing the economy, increasing affordability, and exposing and eliminating fraud and corruption.

He said numerous issues have made Illinois unaffordable, and people are “fleeing the state.”“In Congress, I will fight for more Illinois jobs, less stifling regulation, less bureaucracy, less taxes,” he said. “I will focus on energy, job creation, and agriculture.”

He noted that energy costs affect everyone and supports increasing “clean nuclear and clean fossil capacity.”

He would also work to expand agricultural markets. He noted the “hidden cost” of corruption is “insidious.”

“The Government Accountability Office estimates up to $521 billion per year in theft,” he said. “I will fight for transparency, accountability, and recovery.”He said Budzinski “has not delivered for Illinois” and was “fixated on radical left-wing agendas.”

“She has consistently voted against legislation aimed at boosting the economy and creating affordability,” he said, including the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” and multiple other pieces of legislation.

He described himself as a “pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, constitutional conservative.”

“This district is home to families, farmers, workers, veterans, students, business owners and professionals, the backbone of our country, men and women who work hard, play by the rules and deserve a fair shot at the American dream,” he said. “I will fight for that dream every day.”

A video of an interview with Jeff Wilson is available on The Edwardsville Intelligencer website and Facebook page.