Jesús G. "Chuy" García (/ˈtʃuːi/ CHOO-ee; born April 12, 1956) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 4th district since 2019.

[1] A member of the Democratic Party, he served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, as well as in the Illinois Senate and on the Chicago City Council before his election to Congress.

[9] García also has a master's degree from University of Illinois at Chicago in urban public planning and policy.

[10] In 1983, García was the campaign manager for labor organizer Rudy Lozano, who challenged longtime alderman Frank Stemberk of the 22nd Ward.

[9] In the February 1983 election, Lozano came 17 votes short of forcing a runoff, which his supporters contended was due to voters with Spanish surnames being purged from the rolls.

A reputed gang member was convicted of Lozano's murder, but his supporters still contend that he was killed for his labor and political activities.

[9] Stemberk was a supporter of alderman Edward Vrdolyak of the 10th Ward, who controlled the city council and opposed Washington's administration.

[9] Unlike other committeemen and women, García used his office to provide constituent services, which helped him maintain his high-profile.

[9] Meanwhile, Washington's allies had sued the city in federal court, claiming that the ward map drawn up after the 1980 Census had unfairly dispersed black and Hispanic voters.

As Washington had the ability to cast tie-breaking votes, Vrdolyak was stripped of his powers and the Council Wars ended.

[9] Soliz and García even celebrated their inaugurations by hiring separate mariachi bands to play outside the council chambers.

"[20] After his defeat, García left office in January 1999, founded and became executive director of the Little Village Community Development Corporation.

[22] On Mother's Day 2001, García and members of the group demanded the construction of a high school promised to the community, but unfunded.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas initially refused to meet with the hunger strikers, but by the end of the first week, he visited their tent to negotiate terms.

[23] The hunger strike lasted 19 days and increased public pressure on the school district to fund the project.

[24] In 2010, García ran for the Cook County Board of Commissioners, challenging 7th district member and HDO candidate Joseph Mario Moreno in the Democratic primary.

[28] García won 34% of the vote in the February 24 primary, and Emanuel failed to win more than 50%, forcing a runoff election on April 7.

"[30] García opposed the Ashland Bus Rapid Transit plan,[31] the Belmont flyover,[32] and red light cameras.

[37] After incumbent and formal rival Rahm Emanuel announced that he would not seek a third term in 2019, many people speculated that a high-ranking Latino politician would enter the race.

[41] Preckwinkle, who had been García's ally on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, had declined to endorse him for mayor in 2015.

[43] In July 2022, a staffer of his published a now deleted tweet on his government account calling a critic "borderline retarded" and a "fucking dipshit".

[35] Politico called Gutiérrez's sudden retirement "totally abnormal" and his endorsement of García a "coronation", as the district is so heavily Democratic that the primary is the real contest and the general election is effectively a formality.

After the primary, party leaders chose local political activist Jesus Solorio as the new Republican nominee.

[50] During a congressional hearing in July 2019, García asked former ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan of the Trump administration family separation policy: "how [he] can possibly allow this to happen under [his] watch, [does he] not care?

[52][53][better source needed] In July 2019, García voted against a House resolution condemning the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement targeting Israel.

[59] For the 118th Congress:[60] Early in 2022, García had been seen as a potential candidate to challenge Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the 2023 election.

Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley,[74][75] Aldermen Andre Vasquez,[76] Michael Rodriguez,[73] and Felix Cardona Jr.,[73] Illinois state representatives Theresa Mah and Robyn Gabel,[77][73] activist Dolores Huerta,[78] United Farm Workers,[78] and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150.

[81] García faced controversy over political donations he received from Sam Bankman-Fried[82] and stories that allege links to illicit activities by Michael Madigan involving Commonwealth Edison.

[90] Another line of attack García and Lightfoot used against Vallas was criticism of his relationship with and endorsement by Chicago's police union.

[92] Johnson said García had "abandon[ed] the progressive movement" and was no different from Lightfoot in his proposals for combating violent crime.