>> Congressman Chewy Garcia.

Surprised constituents and political watchers earlier this month with the last-minute announcement he wouldn't seek re-election.

That announcement came paired with the revelation that just one other candidate had gathered signatures to get on the Democratic primary ballot.

His chief of staff, Patty Garcia, no relation to Garcia's move was blasted as Chicago machine politics earning him a rebuke from his colleagues in the House of Representatives.

But in launching her campaign last week, Petty Garcia said there were no electoral shenanigans and vow to protect protect immigrant and working class communities.

And joining us now is the congressional candidate herself, Petty Garcia.

Thanks for being on the program.

Thank you for the night.

So you've worked in in politics and policy for quite some time, but you're not necessarily a widely known quantity.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

3 So I was born and raised Chicago in Little Village.

Both of my parents are immigrants from Mexico.

>> I grew up in a union home and I I'm a proud graduate of Chicago, Public schools and also from the U of I hired my education policy doctorate degree from the U of I and education for me has always been a passion.

It's what's led me to civic education, voter engagement building, the next generation of leaders, including training people for office as well as then training elected officials to be effective in the roles.

And so most recently doing government work.

And this is where I've learned great deal working with Congressman Garcia for the last 7 years.

First district director for 4 years in the last 3 years as chief of staff.

And so everything from, you know, how to advance a progressive agenda.

sure that we're delivering for our communities to have a secure grants, right from flood mitigation to use centers to hospitals as well as case work right?

And especially right now we're seeing the Trump attacks and that this man, Steven federal agencies, we need to ensure that we're protecting constituents, that we're getting them out of detention centers that we're giving them the resources that they need to ensure that they've have a safe home to communities.

So as we mentioned, the congressman announced he was leaving the race shortly before the filing deadline >> should he have said publicly what he told you privately that he couldn't make another run so other candidates could have had at least a few days to gather signatures.

>> Now there's a lot going on.

I'm sure you all know that little village has been an area in the 4th district has been the target by the Trump administration for enforcement.

And so from that Friday to that Monday, it was just I keep using the world word world wind.

It was a world when it was a roller coaster emotions, but also now we need to get on the ballot, right?

And so that was a priority to ensure that we get get on the ballot.

We had less than 2 days essentially to be able to collect the minimum, which and now the 4th district is about 700. proud to say that we were able to over twice that amount that is required.

And we had over.

75 volunteers helping us ensure that we've got on the ballot.

So it was a lot to do in a short amount of time.

I'm happy that I had to support of community members and of the voters from across the district to get on the But I mean, how do you respond to to folks who say it's sort of a classic machine politics play here that might tarnish the congressman's legacy.

>> anyone could have filed at any point.

And we've said that consistently have said that consistently that we didn't stop anyone from gathering their petitions wouldn't stop anyone from filing the Board of elections are open as it is anybody else.

The process is open to anybody else.

Anyone who's interested can file at any point and there are 2 other candidates on the ballot.

This isn't a done deal.

Friday.

I I'm gonna I'm taking this seriously and I'm going out to every voter to the municipality, to neighborhood award.

There are still election to run.

There are still 2 other candidates who also filed to run.

And as I've said, it was an opportunity for anyone else to to run and it make sure that I added that every single I've been with the Congress in 2019 and every single election people have filed to run.

So we assumed other people would be filing to run as well.

>> Sure it is fairly safe.

Democratic had folks, you know, had more of a heads up teammate.

There may have been, you know, a wave of people, as we've seen in some of the districts where folks are retiring.

>> Yeah, they going have a primary last cycle.

And you know, we have to and just for that and make sure that we had to voters knew about the congressman to why he was a better choice.

And so, you know, now for me, I'm focused my race and ensuring that people know who I am that get back to to the issues and ensure that people know why I'm the better option and why I've been doing this work.

while the right person to to continue that work, as you said, it was it was sort of a whirlwind for me.

I mean, when did the congressman tell you his decision and become the first signature on your petition?

>> It wasn't until Friday where kind of decision there we didn't start circulating till Saturday.

But yes, it was literally less than 24 hours from one.

A final decision was made.

And when we had to get in work on a petition and get out to the doors and recruit people to come So as we mentioned earlier this week, the House did vote to censure Congressman Garcia, that included 23 Democrats, 2 of whom are from the Illinois delegation.

Are you confident you can repair those relationships?

Should you be elected, especially within, you know, your own potential caucus?

But the reality is that right now, Democrats need to be united.

There are other more important issues that matter.

I've been hearing from as I was knocking on doors, collecting signatures as I've been working with people across the district, people care about, can I get put on the table?

Can it pay the rent?

K put my child to child care, right?

Like those are the real issues that matter to voters.

Not that inside are kind drama between one member, another member or the political targeting that might happen or the personal kind of attacks one another.

Those are the things that actually people don't want.

Voters don't want to see that disconnected kind of work.

They want members there court delivering for them.

And so I'm confident that with the relationships that you have already built with some of these members as a chief of staff that I can earn their support well into some of those issues.

talked a lot, you know, about protecting immigrant communities, many of whom called the 4th district home.

What would your priorities be in in that arena?

Should you be elected?

>> But it's been over 40 years since we've had any meaningful immigration reform.

So number one for me is, of course, immigration is a daughter of immigrants.

As someone who's had to go fight ice and go to broad view and go surprise visit detention centers.

>> I've seen the atrocities of this immigration system and it's not just one president has been a system that has completely vilified criminalized immigrants and and separated families.

And I think that it's important to prioritize a path way to citizenship.

It's unfair that people have been here 2030, years contributing to our economy, helping, you raise our doctors, our teachers.

And yet they can't even get protection that they won't be deported, right?

And sold for one number.

Number one, priority immigration.

Ensure that we have a pathway to citizenship, ensuring that we protect our Dhaka recipients.

It's time, right?

They've they've been here and it's time to give them some real protection and long-term protection.

We've got temporary protective status for people that we need to work on as well as some work permits some.

You know, there's people here that at minimum they want protection and work permits.

And so that's my number one priority.

Immigration, especially given the demographics of the district.

There people here that have been waiting 2030, years of because I've said to become citizens and so that's number one with my back education that some of again, passion of mine.

I want to make sure that we have good paying jobs that we have better workforce partnerships with institutions and higher ed.

And that from birth to college kids have a portable in quality education, regardless of where they've grown up you know what your background.

>> But, you know, we just exited the longest federal government shutdown in U.S.

history with a handful of Democrats, including Senator Durbin voting to reopen.

Would you have cast a vote to reopen?

>> I think we should have walked away until we had something to walk away with, right?

We should have waited to ensure that we had at minimum some health care and I would I would have worked with community members and with them with our stakeholders to hear from them directly know that a lot of the organizations said Democrats, we've got your back.

Holder called online a little longer.

We haven't come this long give and walk away with nothing.

>> Well, as you mentioned, been working with the congressman since 2019 and including most recently his chief of staff, one accomplishment from that 10 year.

Are you most proud of?

>> think the most proud of all, all C 2.

All right.

they all seem to help make it quick on the case work side, there's nothing more rewarding than being able to reunite families and get someone out of detention.

And so I've got amazing stories of people that I've been able to help release fathers on Father's Day mother's on Mother's Day and like, you know, I think about my parents, I think about my neighbors, right?

And like I would want someone to fight as hard like that.

Like the way that I have for others.

So I think that that to me has been the most rewarding experience, be able to find a different for others and also bringing back resources to the district.

So the committee project funding being able to identify what you know, youth centers, hospitals, health care centers fled mitigation programs.

All these things that are tangible is not these abstract kind of federal funds that you don't see.

You get to work with the community to identify what would you like to see in your area?

Right?