Nikki Budzinski

Nikki Budzinski
Born	Nicole Jai Budzinski 11 3, 1977
Birthplace	Peoria, Illinois, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Template:Hlist
Known for	U.S. Representative for Illinois's 13th congressional district
Education	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (BA)
Website	[[budzinski.house.gov budzinski.house.gov] Official site]

Nicole Jai Budzinski (Template:IPAc-en; born March 11, 1977) is an American trade unionist and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 13th congressional district since January 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Budzinski built a career rooted in organized labor before entering electoral politics, working for decades with trade unions and serving in senior roles in both state and federal government. Born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, she attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before embarking on a career that took her from union organizing to the upper echelons of policy making in Springfield and Washington, D.C. Prior to her election to Congress, Budzinski served as chief of staff to the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Biden administration, a role she assumed in early 2021. She also held a prominent position in Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's administration. In 2022, she won election to represent the newly redrawn 13th congressional district, succeeding Republican Rodney Davis, whose previous district was substantially altered through redistricting. In Congress, Budzinski has focused on issues including healthcare costs, education funding, and working families' access to social services.

Early Life

Nikki Budzinski was born on March 11, 1977, in Peoria, Illinois. She grew up in a working-class family in the Peoria area, a city in central Illinois with a long history tied to manufacturing and organized labor. Peoria, home to the global headquarters of Caterpillar Inc., has historically been a community shaped by the dynamics between industry and labor unions, an environment that informed Budzinski's later career trajectory.

Budzinski's upbringing in central Illinois provided her with direct exposure to the economic challenges faced by working families in the region. Her family background and the economic landscape of Peoria during the late 1970s and 1980s, a period that saw significant shifts in American manufacturing and labor relations, contributed to her interest in labor issues and public policy.

Education

Budzinski attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. The University of Illinois, one of the state's flagship public universities, is located approximately 70 miles southeast of Peoria. Her time at the university preceded her entry into labor organizing and public service.

Career

Labor Union Career

Budzinski spent the majority of her professional career before entering politics working for and with organized labor. Her work in the labor movement spanned multiple unions and advocacy roles, establishing her as a figure within the Illinois labor community. Her career in organized labor involved work on collective bargaining, workers' rights advocacy, and labor policy, building a network that would later prove instrumental in her political campaigns.

Budzinski's background in organized labor earned her the endorsement of the Illinois AFL-CIO during her congressional campaign, among other union endorsements. The Labor Tribune noted her growing list of union endorsements as she sought to challenge Republican incumbent Rodney Davis in the 2022 election cycle.

State Government Service

Prior to her federal government service, Budzinski served in the administration of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. She held a senior role within the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), where she was involved in economic development and workforce policy for the state. Her work in the Pritzker administration focused on issues related to economic opportunity and workforce development in Illinois, continuing her career-long engagement with labor and employment policy. A Chicago Sun-Times profile described her as a "Pritzker insider" during her subsequent congressional run.

Biden Administration

In January 2021, Budzinski joined the Biden administration, serving as chief of staff to the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in Washington, D.C. The OMB is one of the most influential offices in the Executive Office of the President, responsible for overseeing the federal budget, evaluating agency programs, and coordinating policy across the executive branch. As chief of staff to the OMB director, Budzinski played a role in the early budgetary and policy priorities of the Biden administration.

By mid-2021, Politico reported that Budzinski was leaving her position in Washington, a move that preceded her entry into the 2022 congressional race in Illinois. Her departure from the Biden administration set the stage for her return to Illinois and her campaign for the newly drawn 13th congressional district.

2022 Congressional Campaign

Primary Election

Budzinski entered the race for Illinois's 13th congressional district following the state's 2021 redistricting process, which significantly altered the boundaries of the district. The new 13th district was drawn to include portions of central and southwestern Illinois, including the cities of Springfield, Champaign, Decatur, and parts of the Metro East region near St. Louis. The redistricting made the district more favorable for Democratic candidates than the previous configuration held by Republican Rodney Davis.

Budzinski faced a contested Democratic primary. She ran on her background in organized labor, her experience in the Pritzker and Biden administrations, and her focus on working families and economic issues. She secured the Democratic nomination in the June 2022 primary election.

General Election

In the November 2022 general election, Budzinski faced Republican nominee Regan Deering. The race drew national attention as one of several competitive House contests in the 2022 midterm elections. Budzinski's campaign emphasized her labor background and her focus on issues such as healthcare, the economy, and reproductive rights. She won the general election, securing her seat in the 118th United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives

118th Congress (2023–2025)

Budzinski assumed office on January 3, 2023, succeeding Rodney Davis, whose former district had been substantially redrawn. As a freshman member of Congress, she focused on issues related to labor, healthcare, education, and economic opportunity, consistent with her career-long emphasis on working families.

Her FEC filings indicated her campaign fundraising and financial activity as a federal candidate.

119th Congress (2025–present)

Budzinski won re-election and continued serving in the 119th United States Congress. In her second term, she has continued to focus on constituent services and policy priorities including healthcare costs and education funding.

In February 2026, Budzinski visited the Riverbend Head Start program in Alton, Illinois, where she read to students, highlighted renovation funding for the facility, and raised concerns about proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that she warned could limit families' access to early childhood education programs.

Also in February 2026, Budzinski announced that Laura Petty, a constituent from Alton, Illinois, would be her guest at President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. Budzinski used the occasion to call for action to reduce healthcare costs for American families.

Politico reported in February 2026 that Budzinski was pursuing a bipartisan approach in her district, described as seeking a "red-blue reset," as primary elections in Illinois approached.

2026 Primary Challenge

Ahead of the March 2026 Illinois primary elections, Budzinski faced a primary challenge from Dylan Blaha, a progressive Democrat and Illinois National Guard member. St. Louis Public Radio (STLPR) reported in January 2026 that Blaha faced "an uphill battle" to defeat the incumbent. The Alton Telegraph reported in February 2026 on the matchup between Budzinski and Blaha in the Democratic primary for Illinois's 13th district.

Budzinski entered the 2026 cycle in a strong financial position. The Alton Telegraph reported that she raised $1.8 million in 2025, a significant fundraising figure. On the Republican side, Jeff Wilson was listed as the leading GOP fundraiser in the district with $161,000. Early voting for the primary began on February 5, 2026, with the primary election scheduled for March 17, 2026.

Personal Life

Budzinski resides in the 13th congressional district of Illinois. Her personal life has largely been kept out of public political discourse, with her public profile centering on her professional career in labor and politics. She maintains her roots in central Illinois, having returned to the state from Washington, D.C., to run for Congress in 2022.

Recognition

In November 2025, Southern Illinois University (SIU) invited Budzinski to deliver the Morton-Kenney Lecture. The lecture series featured Budzinski reflecting on her time in Congress, her efforts to strengthen families, and her perspective on policy issues. The invitation to deliver a named lecture at a major Illinois university signaled recognition of her role as a representative of the southern and central Illinois region.

Upon her election in 2022, The Hill profiled Budzinski as one of the new members of the 2023 congressional class, highlighting her background in labor and government service.