About Me
About Me
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The system is broken. It doesn't work for working people. I'm a combat veteran and former cancer researcher, and I'm running for U.S. Congress to change the system.
We are in the middle of a constitutional crisis, and most politicians (both Republican and Democrat) continue to do nothing. It’s past time for Americans to be represented by candidates who fight for their constituents.
The current administration full of millionaires and billionaires continues to dismantle our democracy at an alarming rate - all while continuing to enrich themselves. We are in the middle of a class war, and the billionaire class is winning.
We all deserve elected representatives who understand what we're going through, and we need to get big money out of politics.
I've served my country for almost 13 years in the United States Army, and I want to continue that service by fighting for the people of Illinois' 13th District and beyond. I've also worked as a biochemist for the University of Illinois, and I will fight for education and scientific progress in society.
I believe in democracy, freedom, opportunity and equality for ALL Americans. I believe in providing healthcare and education systems that won’t leave Americans in debt. I believe everyone should be able to afford life's necessities and have plenty of money left over. To achieve this, we need change, and we need it now.
Too many politicians take money from big donors, lobbyists and super PACs, who they are more loyal to than the constituents they serve. Representative Nikki Budzinski's top donors include lobbyists and super PACs. She ran on a platform of getting "dark money" out of politics, but it now looks like she's fallen victim to the same disease.
I will follow the path of leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and only accept grassroots donations. I will also never allow money to influence my legislative decisions. This is a government of the people, by the people, for the people.
Above all else, I will fight for the rights of every American, regardless of who you are, where you are from or what you believe in. I will fight against the greed and recklessness of the ruling class. I will fight against oligarchy, authoritarianism, and kleptocracy.
I don't cower in the face of bullies - I stand up to them.
HOMETOWN
I was born in Lemont, Illinois in 1993 and I moved to Champaign-Urbana in 2013
PETS
I'm a proud dog dad to three rescues: Captain, Sandy, and Itsy
HOBBIES
Writing, reading, video games, physical fitness, running, and volunteering
Education
B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology and M.S. in Biochemistry from UIUC
MILITARY
Served over 12 years in the Illinois Army National Guard as a combat medic and medical planner
MOBILIZATIONS
Deployed to Afghanistan from 2019-2020 and served a three-year tour in Germany from 2021-2024
a timeline of
a timeline of
Big Money's Influence in Politics
Big Money's Influence in Politics
It's time for a change.
1789
The idea of candidates asking for contributions to fund their campaigns was completely foreign to George Washington.
1829
Fundraising and campaigning as we know it may have begun with Andrew Jackson.
1867
First federal campaign finance law.
1896
Public begins to call for campaign finance restrictions.
1907
Corporate contributions banned.
1974
US rocked by Watergate, FEC established.
1976
Buckley vs. Valeo changes everything (again). The distinction between contributions and spending remains a linchpin of campaign finance law.
2010
Citizens United lifts limits on corporate independent expenditures; corporations are "people"
2012
Citizens United decision firmly established as the law of the land
2016
Donald Trump spent $66.1 million of his own money for a campaign that was nearly 20 percent self-funded. Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders funded his campaign mostly through small individual contributions.
2020
Election cycle shatters records ($14.4 billion).
2021
Georgia run-offs decided Senate control, set spending records ($470 million and $363 million).
2024
Elon Musk spends over $277 million on Donald Trump's election campaign.
"It's time to get big money out of politics. It’s past time for Americans to be represented by candidates who fight for their constituents."
Experience and Credentials
Dylan is not a politician. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology. After several years studying cancer immunotherapies as a research technician and graduate student at UIUC, he graduated with a Master of Science in Biochemistry.
Dylan enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard as a combat medic in 2012 and commissioned as an Army Officer in 2016, through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at UIUC. He served on active duty for over five years, including a deployment to Afghanistan from 2019-2020 as a Battalion Medical Operations Officer for the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment.
Dylan also served on the Illinois National Guard Joint Staff as the lead medical planner to support COVID-19 pandemic response operations. He then served a three-year tour at US Army Europe and Africa in Germany to support both Ukraine and NATO, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
For his service, Dylan has received a Bronze Star Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, a Joint Service Achievement Medal, two Army Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device.
Dylan also received the 2023 Captain John R. Teal Leadership Award for his contributions to US Army medicine and the entire US Army.