Meet the Republicans running in the primary for the 15th Congressional District

wvik.org · Feb 19, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

Full Article

Three Republicans are seeking their party's nomination in the 15th Congressional District Primary. That includes incumbent Mary Miller, who is seeking a fourth term, and challengers Judy Bowlby and Ryan Tebrugge. Miller ran unopposed in 2024. In addition to the two Republican challengers, four Democrats are seeking their party's nomination for the 15th Congressional District. TSPR asked the candidates why they're running, how they can help small businesses succeed, what they think of ICE, and more. Information about the candidates and their answers are listed below in alphabetical order. Please note TSPR sent the questions to two email addresses for incumbent Miller's campaign, one that was on her campaign website and another that was on her campaign Facebook page. Both emails bounced. TSPR then called Miller's Quincy office to request a valid campaign email address and offer an invitation to participate. A staffer did not provide a valid campaign email address but told TSPR that Miller's campaign website outlines her stances on the issues. Judy BowlbyAge as of March 17, 2026: 70Education: Master's degree in Clinical PsychologyCommunity involvement: Multiple associations/advocacy during work careerCampaign website: https://bowlby2026.com/ Ryan TebruggeAge as of March 17, 2026: I will be 36 and a lifelong resident of Illinois.Education: I am a certified leadership coach with an associate degree in political science, a bachelor's degree in law enforcement, and minors in computer science and political science with an emphasis in international relations. I began pursuing a master's degree in forensic social work, which is currently on hold while I run for office, and I am actively working toward my MBA.Community involvement: From a young age, my parents instilled in me the importance of community by getting me involved in local theatre, volunteering throughout our area, and supporting candidates who stood up for working families and labor issues. I grew up working on my family's farm, helping neighbors by shoveling driveways, working at a local grocery store in our small town, volunteering with animal rescue groups, and being actively involved in church. Through these experiences, I learned to appreciate what I have, give back to those with less, and always look out for others. Over the years, I have remained deeply engaged in civic life, serving as a campaign manager in both 2016 and 2024 and volunteering on numerous local, state, and federal campaigns. I currently serve as Vice Chair of the Young Republicans Capital City Chapter and am a member of the Scottish Rite.Campaign website: https://www.ryantforcongress.com/ Why are you running?Bowlby: For some time, I have watched the news and have grown increasingly frustrated and disappointed with the extreme positions and lack of cooperation among our government officials. Throughout this time, I kept saying to myself "there has got to be a better way." As lifelong resident of Illinois, I understand the economic challenges families face. As a graduate of Eastern Illinois University with both a bachelor's and a master's degree in clinical psychology, I understand the crises Americans face related to mental health and addiction. As a former ambassador for the Illinois Soybean and American Soybean Associations, I understand the challenges facing farmers and the agricultural industry. Recognizing the issues is not the challenge; beginning a conversation to address those issues is what is needed. I have spent 30 years in Government Affairs working with both parties on multiple healthcare-related issues relevant to Illinois and neighboring states. Therein lies my most valuable skill, the ability to encourage and facilitate dialogue among diverse groups leading to solutions that benefit the voters. In short, the current climate in Washington is rampant with heated rhetoric, finger pointing, blame and criticism. No one is reaching across the aisle to start a discussion for the benefit of the people. They deserve better. After all, the American citizens are our bosses. I believe I can be the catalyst for that process, and I am confident in my ability to transform this vision into action as a public servant.Tebrugge: I was raised in a family where you didn't wait for someone else to fix things you stepped in and helped. Whether it was working on the farm, helping neighbors, volunteering in our community, or getting involved locally, I was taught that responsibility starts close to home. My father used to tell me, "You may not be able to change the world, but you can change your portion of it." That mindset shaped who I am. I also believe something deeply: you can complain about what's broken, or you can roll up your sleeves and do something about it. For too long, Washington has been full of politicians who talk, point fingers, and chase attention while everyday families are left paying the price. I didn't get into this race for a title or headlines. I got in because I care about real solutions not more problems. I got in because I kept hearing the same frustrations from farmers, workers, small business owners, and families who feel ignored by their own representative. Illinois families are overtaxed, energy bills keep climbing, and rural communities are being left behind. Instead of fighting for development, jobs, and funding that actually help our towns grow, our current representative is focused on media attention and political theater. This district deserves better. We deserve leadership that listens. Leadership that shows up. Leadership that fights for good paying jobs, lower energy costs, strong infrastructure, and real investment in our communities. I'm running to bring common sense back to Congress. To work across differences when it helps our people. To focus on results instead of rhetoric. And to make sure the voices of this district are finally heard again. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the congressional district?Bowlby: Constituents in the 15th district are struggling to pay for everyday necessities like housing, groceries and healthcare. They are facing job loss, stagnant wages, and instability in the manufacturing, and agricultural sectors. The district represents 31% of Illinois' total agricultural sales and farmers are facing another difficult season due to tariff policy, low crop prices and high production costs. The largest employment industry in this largely rural and small-town district is healthcare, and rural healthcare is facing a crisis with hospital closures and provider shortages leading to reduced access to care and worse outcomes. Manufacturing is the second largest employment sector in the district, and it has been impacted due to volatile tariffs and supply chain chaos leading to reduced investment and hiring. Constituents need a representative in Congress engaged on these issues and willing to work within the Republican Party and negotiate across the aisle to deliver policy that addresses these needs. The current Congresswoman's lack of focus and absence on the primary issues facing the district is leading to more reliance on government services and social programs, dwindling population in the district, and a lack of policy to support agricultural stability, business growth, and a standard of living that supports the middle class. If elected, I would draw on my 30 years' experience in healthcare and government affairs where I worked in a bipartisan manner to bring opposing sides together to pass policy for the benefit of the citizens of Illinois. In one particular instance, I was able to get healthcare legislation passed that was used as a model for 10 other states. I have deep contacts in government and business across the state and would leverage my network and established relationships to expedite the process of developing evidenced-based policy while remaining willing to negotiate and compromise to bring relief to the people in the 15th district. Additionally, my experience as a national and international ambassador with the Illinois and American Soybean Associations will be beneficial to farmers and the agribusiness industry in terms of understanding complex domestic and global market dynamics.Tebrugge: The biggest challenge facing our district is the lack of real, sustained community investment. When families struggle to find good paying jobs, when our roads, bridges, and water systems are falling apart, and when young people are forced to leave because it's too expensive to build a future here, that's a clear sign leadership has not been fighting for this district. Public service should be about putting people first, not political games. We need to be smarter and more responsible with taxpayer dollars by cutting waste, demanding transparency, and directing funding back into projects that strengthen our towns, support farmers and small businesses, and create long term economic growth. That means investing in infrastructure, expanding high speed internet in rural areas, and attracting job creating industries that allow families to stay and thrive here at home. How would you address that issue if elected to office?Bowlby: The first and most effective way to bring immediate relief to the people of this district would be the utilization of Community Project Funding. This option has been ignored by the incumbent representing this district. During my signature drive to gain access to the ballot, I was amazed to discover that many people were unaware that these funds were available for community improvements. Those that were aware voluntarily shared "she's brought nothing back to the district." Community project funds can be used to help pay for infrastructure (roads, bridges, water treatment facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, sewer line improvements, etc.) or contributions to law enforcement, fire districts, libraries, parks, rural hospitals, mental health centers, education, food banks or a myriad other nonprofit,