>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

New faces are coming to Illinois.

Congressional delegation.

We sit down with 3 of them to discuss their priorities, the blue tsunami and more.

Plus for the first time ever, Chicago public schools has elected board of Education president.

She shares her vision for the district.

>> First off tonight, Democrats across country are taking a victory lap today after securing huge winds last night here in Illinois, a smiling Governor JB Pritzker, along with his brand new Lieutenant Governor elect Christian Mitchell shook hands at Peters restaurant in the Bronzeville neighborhood.

The Perry defeated Republican Darren Bailey and his running mate Aaron Delmar Pritzker was joined by Sen elect Juliana Stratton along with the now soon-to-be senior Senator Tammy Duckworth at another campaign event.

Pritzker says he's put together an agenda based on his team's documentation of Trump administration policies that he believes the new Democrat controlled Congress can take up right >> The result is a policy book with 200 recommendations for immediate steps that the new Congress can take to intervene.

>> Reverse harmful decisions and restore federal programs and investments.

This is not a list of abstract goals or lofty demands.

It is a practical roadmap for government.

>> His recommendations include restoring snap and Medicaid cuts reinstating Affordable Care Act.

Tax credits and sending tariff refunds directly to American residents.

And he says not just corporations.

And the stock market soared today in the wake of the midterm election results, the Dow closed up 1500 points or 3% marking its best day in 18 months.

And the biggest post mid-term elections day in more than 40 years.

That's according to data from CFRA Research.

The S and P Rose 1.6% and the Nasdaq 1.4% Meanwhile, crude oil prices in diesel futures dropped.

It comes as Vice president.

Jd Vance today blames Iran War as the reason the Republican Party lost the midterms.

Other important races on Chicagoans ballots where the 21 positions for the first ever fully elected Chicago Board of Education results are still being finalized, but it appears the board may be evenly split 10 to 10 between candidates supported by the Chicago teachers Union and those who were not 3.

See 2, you endorse incumbents seemed to have lost their seats based on unofficial results.

The current hybrid board holds CTU aligns majority of members.

Jessica Biggs has declared victory in the board.

President race.

She'll join us tonight to discuss her priorities at this time.

Chicago's Christmas tree was delivered today in high-flying fashion.

The nearly 50 foot tall, Norway Spruce made its way to Millennium Park from Kane County.

It was donated by Mandy Clark and her family to become the city's 113 official Christmas tree.

The tree will be lit during a ceremony on November 20th and stay up through January.

10th.

We sit down with some election night winners.

That's right.

After this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part by the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Joyce Foundation.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donuts.

>> This year's midterm elections included several history-making moments, including in Illinois, where 5 new representatives are heading to the United States.

Congress.

Tonight.

We welcome 3 of the newly elected members from Illinois.

Joining us, our representative elect Donna Miller.

She won Illinois second district, defeating Republican Michael Nowak and replacing Representative Robin Kelly who served 13 years in Congress.

Representative elect Patty Garcia.

She secured Illinois 4th district against 3 other candidates.

She's formally chief of staff to the outgoing Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia.

And representative elect LaShawn Ford.

He brought home a victory in Illinois, 7th district.

He defeated Republican Chad copy and will replace longtime Congressman Danny Davis.

Congrats to the 3 of you.

Thank you for joining us.

So a congressman-elect Ford, going to start with you, please.

You'll be succeeding.

As we mentioned, Representative Danny Davis, he's held that 7th congressional seat for 30 years.

How do you plan to fill his shoes?

I mean, I think that using his.

>> I think his legacy and continuing to build on it.

ideal.

I mean, to have a transition that I worked with during the campaign work would be for campaign for 20 years working with him as a state were ready to go to work on day one.

He endorsed you immediately.

When he announced his retirement.

How does it feel to be following in his footsteps?

>> You know, it's it's really amazing.

I mean, that's what you want from government.

You want a good transition so that you could goal.

>> And due to work on day one.

And that's what we have.

>> You also served in Illinois State House for 20 years.

How do you think that time in Springfield prepared you to take on Washington?

You know, it's interesting.

You say that because I'm very excited to be here.

I was surprised to hear governor has a plan for Congress.

I mean, our goal and my goal is really to make sure that we deliver for Illinois so good that you have.

>> All 3 of us here because although we have our own and districts, we still need to deliver for Illinois.

And I know exactly as a state legislator and I know the ladies here understand what the county needs and what district's what our state partners you need in the General Assembly.

And I look forward to fighting for them.

>> Congresswoman Elect Miller during your victory speech last night.

You refer to the second district as a microcosm of America.

How is that?

How so?

Well, the district starts in Chicago on 43rd Street and then it goes to the south suburbs all the way to Kankakee and Danville.

So we have.

>> Urban rules, suburban.

So that's what America is.

And we have farms.

There's 4500 farms in this district.

We have high rises.

We have great suburban area.

>> So when I look across the second district, this is what America looks like.

>> How do you how do you intend to serve the specific needs and that the vast needs towns like because you've got a diversity of people and perspectives.

How do you how you plan meeting all those needs wealth in needs are going to be met just because the commonality of what people feel right now, we feel affordability is at issue.

We also feel that health care is at issue that is common no matter where you are throughout the second congressional district where you are no matter where you are in all of America.

>> So when I talk that I've been up and down the district throughout this entire time and have found that people are talking about the same things that matter where they are, that they can't afford eggs.

They can't afford gas.

They can't afford to find a doctor and go to get quality health care.

So that unifies us that definitely unifies the entire district.

>> One of your major goals Congresswoman-Elect is to build an airport in south suburbs of Chicago.

Several people have tried to get that project off the ground, so to speak for but no luck so far.

What do feel like you're the right person for that job?

>> Well, I want to continue the work that's already been done in the second district is also the largest logistical hub in all of North America, which is very important that we have real.

We have transportation through trucking to have the airport would be the trifecta.

And that's what I'm looking to build.

have support from all the unions.

We have support from many of the local elected officials from mayors.

And I think now is the right time because we're 90% complete.

It.

We also have an rfq that that with the state right now looking at how facilitate building it there.

transportation.

So we have all the pieces in place.

And now I think with renewed energy and renewed focus and renewed conversation, maybe we can get it done.

Congresswoman Elect Garcia last night you became the first woman elected to represent Illinois 4th.

>> Congressional district.

What does that mean to you?

Its largest responsibility, not only the first woman represent.

>> In the history of the 4th congressional district, but also the first Mexican-American in the entire Midwest.

And so I think as I think about what's going on with the attacks on the immigrant community, the Mexican community.

It's important for me to ensure that we pay it forward and then we do work and then we deliver for the communities here and we cold like ice accountable to make sure that one people feel reflected in Congress and that their experiences are reflected not just because someone is there with your culture, but because they're bringing that experience that is needed in terms of advocacy.

>> At the beginning of your campaign, when you announced it before getting into the primary this year replace the your predecessor, Jose said it was a Garcia.

There was, you know, some some criticism for you there as you are beginning to secure the petitions to get on the ballot.

Do you feel like you've had to regain the trust of voters and that you were able to do that in order to secure this win.

>> Look, last night, 71% of the district made their voices heard and their vote heard.

71% of his them.

But for a campaign.

And I think that that speaks loudly and a testament to our campaign.

We were able to secure over 200 endorsements, including that of the next U.S.

senator, the governor.

Right.

over 50 labor unions.

And that speaks to the work that we've been doing and coalition and people are ready to have someone there that advocates for them and focuses on people, politics.

A process.

You like you're like your cohort here.

You're also replacing someone who's very well known in the district on.

Do you feel the need to balance?

>> Continuing his legacy while also establishing around look at growing up in Little Village has a daughter of immigrants and seen an immigrant out there like Congressman has was to advocating for communities.

I know that have to continue that legacy continue the work to protect our families, keeping families together, making sure we fight for a path to citizenship.

>> But it also means making sure that we continue to build a pipeline.

He's done an incredible job pipeline.

A progressive leaders across every level of office.

And, know, that's other responsibility I have to continue that have already been doing helping elect more women judges, women to the school board to state legislative roles and I'm ready for it.

We talked about affordability and health care, of course, being top of mind for voters this year, they were of Moore's priorities for each of you.

>> Congressman-elect, for come to you first.

What specific federal policies do you think you'd be looking to address to make life more affordable?

Increase health care access for Illinois?

I think we have to deal with the war that was started without congressional approval.

That's number one that's taken trillions of dollars from our budget to pay for health care, to pay for Social Security to pay for snap.

>> That's unnecessary.

discussion that we have to have to figure out how we're going to in that war.

Also, we have to figure out how we're going to bring in more revenue.

you know, we come from a state where we talk about progressive taxes.

We have to figure out how we're going to take away the tax break.

billionaires and bring revenue back in so that we can pay for health care so that we can expand the Social Security and protect SNAP benefits for states right now.

The state of Illinois on the hook for 80 million dollars.

Snap is a federal program and Trump and Republicans as pass that down to states.

That's pretty challenging for state budget.

And that's why I'm excited to be there to fight for Illinois.

Donna Miller question to you.

Well, I think we have to.

>> Healthcare is on the ballot and that's what we saw across the entire country.

People are concerned about health care.

We want to put that 1 billion dollars back into the budget for the Medicaid that was cut out.

Also, I want see an expansion of that my district is like many other districts where seniors living longer.

So we need to also have healthcare that includes hearing vision and dental care we can put that back in when we're reformulating seen what that looks like.

The other thing affects my district is the farm bill.

The farm bill has not dealt with many, many years.

So many of the farmers who are in my district are concerned about that.

They want to see specific things added into that.

And I've asked him, give me one pick what we're one pager.

What do you want to see?

How can we deal with that?

If that's going to help our farmers, not just here, but across the entire country.

>> Patty Garcia is newly elected representatives.

Have you all plan on or how did you plan on building relationships with other Congress members in Washington to get laws passed?

Some of them are going to be freshman and brand new just like you and some have been there for some time.

>> Having been a former chief of staff myself, I can say that I come in already knowing some of the staff from leadership staff from the caucuses.

I've been in the trenches with them literally trying to advance policy, making sure that we're delivering for our commute across the the country.

I've also been able to work with different members of Congress.

Commissioner Garcia was a whip for the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

And so that enables me to develop relationships.

And as we've been on the campaign trail for the last year, continue to work with different members for support on the political side.

And so is being able to ensure that we react to beat relationships and those conversations to focus on what needs to be done.

I'm looking forward to working closely with the Congressional Progressive member of the caucus.

And so knowing that when you develop deliver an agenda that speaks to economic justice, things like Environmental Justice, Medicare, for all ensuring that we bring resources to our districts.

How different do you think it'll be going from being chief of staff to being the congressman years?

All have to learn to let go and the ability ready to trust a team.

You have had incredible as as chief of staff and plan to have an incredible team continue to serve our district get Bush on board while.

This, you know, the Democratic sweep did not come quite a shock in Illinois.

Of course, it was a blue tsunami nationwide.

>> How do you think the country might change how or now that the Democrats have some control in Congress?

You know, I hope that leadership understands that there is high demand.

I think that the people Republicans voted for Democrats, you know, and that tells us people have realized that the policies that the >> once rejected, we're good for them.

And so my hope is that we.

Swing big as Democrats.

The people have given us an opportunity.

And I know as a member of the Illinois General Assembly, when you have supermajority and majority in Senate and the majority in the House, you can do big things.

There will be no excuse why Democrats don't take care of the American people with type you know, majority that said, Donna Miller, president still MAGA Republican.

He, in fact invented How what do you think the challenges will You know, despite having control of both houses, would you think the challenge challenges will be getting the job done?

I think the challenge that will be just like you heard him say on the news earlier today that, you know, listen to the Democrats may and then might get a veto things.

I think that that conversation is not going to be well suited it because people have made their voice is clear that they don't want to hear that.

>> People want to hear what can we do to get back to work?

How are we going to do it?

How can we implement things?

And I also think that now that we're going to have over 100 women in Congress for the very first time, >> that maybe we just need some women in here to get some things to a whole right.

That's where we'll have to leave best of luck to all of you.

Representative-elect.

>> Donna Miller, Patty Garcia Mashawn for things you up next.

We hear from the first ever elected president of the Chicago Public Schools Board.

Jessica Bigs claims victory.

A Chicago public schools first ever elected board of Education.

President and now she's tasked with working alongside the 20 other freshly elected board members and the CPS CEO to set the district's vision for the next 4 years.

Joining us to talk more about that agenda is Jessica bigs.

Jessica, welcome back.

Congrats on winning your race last night.

>> Thanks so much, Brandis.

It's great to be here.

>> So you garnered nearly 49% of the vote followed by Eladio Dominguez with just over 30%.

And Victor Henderson with almost 18%.

What do you think it is about your campaign that resonated with Chicago voters?

>> Yeah, you know, brand is from the beginning.

I have worked to build a broad coalition that's truly representative of Chicago.

And I think we really succeeded in doing that throughout the campaign.

You know, I'm proud to have the support SEIU that.

I represent some of the lowest wage workers in CPS, the Chicago Federation of Labor.

I think in the end it was more than 20 other people from across the city who supported the campaign.

Cook County Board, President Toni Preckwinkle, 5 of my elected board colleagues.

So when put together a coalition like that, I think you're really able to demonstrate to voters how you can bring people together and in a moment when we have been really divided locally.

I think that was something that voters were looking for.

>> What are your immediate priorities once you are formally installed in the position?

>> Yeah, you this is a historic moment for Chicago and I feel really real responsibility to make sure that we get this right.

You now today I'm thinking about the nuts and bolts of of board development for incoming board members to make sure everybody is ready to hit the ground running on day one.

I want to get those committee structures set up.

And, you know, that's something I talked a lot about on the campaign that I think has been missing is just a clear set of academic goals and priorities.

I heard from families over and over again that they really want to see this board focused academic outcomes for students.

So working with those board members to figure out those priorities working in partnership with the CEO and to make sure that the district is focused there.

And then on the financial side and starting to actually bring together the intergovernmental body that can put together a real financial recovery plan to guide the finances of our district.

>> You've been criticized throughout your campaign for some of the financial contributions that you received, including receiving money from billionaire Michael Sacks.

Here is a Dominguez making note of that in his speech last night.

>> We may not have had billionaires writing million dollar checks.

We may not have had the political establishment lined up behind us, but we have something money cannot manufacture.

We have parents who refuse to give We had teachers who refuse to be silent.

We had communities who refuse to let someone else decide the future of their children.

We had people that believe that public education was worth fighting for.

Even when the odds were stacked against us.

>> And of course, a Dominguez did have the backing of Chicago teachers Union.

He's their former political deputy political director.

But, Jessica, what influence, if any, would you say corporations or the so-called establishment had on your campaign or how you lead?

>> mean, think Brandis my my record is his long-held and it's shown up in my experience over the last 2 decades.

So, you know, I feel quite confident that voters will see exactly what they expected that I am someone who can put together a group of people, a real broad coalition of people.

>> And who don't always agree with one another on issue but can find where those common interests exist.

>> And get together around big ideas to solve really important and complex problems.

So I mean here to to get that done.

>> And will probably want to apply when working with your fellow board members.

10 candidates backed by the Chicago Teachers Union have one or are leading in their current school boards.

The races you, of course, we're CTU backed candidates, but you have previously served on the board.

Have you plan on navigating, you know, sort of that board division weather, you know, whether it's from, you know, CTU Indoors to Nancy, to you, endorse members for otherwise.

>> Yeah, you know, Brandon, I am really excited to get into a room with my new colleagues and to support all of them in getting together with one another so that we can start to learn each other.

We can start to build relationships, understand, you know, each of our stories and what motivates us in this moment because I I again, I think there is a lot of common interest and I I will continue to lean heavily on my experience from leading on our superintendent search.

Right?

It was really intentional systems and structures that help to bring the board together.

Building committees that were diverse in their ideology.

Being clear up front about norms and criteria for decisions.

Clear timelines processees.

And I think that will really go a long way.

Not only to help the public understand exactly what the board is focused on, but also to help the board work together.

>> Voters also gave input yesterday on 3 education related advisory questions.

They overwhelmingly supported the use of revenue from a surcharge on millionaires to increase CPS funding to charge owners of long-term vacant or underdeveloped commercial investment properties in additional annual fee to support CPS and establishing a 3% surcharge on millionaires.

With half the revenue dedicated to property tax relief and have to improve state funding for public education.

Now, of course, the voters are just expressing their preferences here.

These are non-binding, but because enacting such proposals would require action by city or state authorities.

But, Jessica, I think part of your role would involve working with the CPS CEO to decide how the district feels about them.

If these measures should go anywhere.

What would you how would you support them or not?

>> Yeah, I think it's really exciting that Chicagoans major, that their voice was heard.

I think those are those are margins that are clear mandates.

And so I think that needs to be a part of our conversation with with our partners in Springfield.

And part of a potential solution to how we make sure that there is actually adequate funding for education and our state.

>> In addition to the financial challenges the district faces on it also faces dwindling enrollment.

Losing more than 11,000 students.

This school, this past school year.

What does that mean for how you'll balance the books?

Because with children tends to come money and is there anything that you can do to boost enrollment going forward?

>> And you know, this is this is something that we need to tackle of the district.

I think, you know, I I have proposed thinking about enrollment across our system as a metric of public trust.

And do you think it is worth paying attention to this percentage of school age kids that enroll in Chicago, public schools and setting some goals to grow that at the same time, you know, we know that these numbers also reflect declining birth rates.

That's a reality of the moment.

And I think we need to be working indeed, partnership in coalition with communities across the city to figure out how we best address that challenge.

>> Best of luck to you going forward.

Future school board president or President-elect Jessica, big thanks for joining us.

Thanks for And that's our show for this Wednesday night.

Stay connected with our reporters and what they're working on by following us on Blue Sky at W T Tw and join us tomorrow night at 5.30, in 10.

Now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Clifford and Clifford Law offices, Chicago, personal injury and wrongful death that gives back to its