Ruzevich Banks On Disenchantment With Democratic Party To Beat Casten In IL-06 Dem Primary

CHICAGO — Depending on which cohort study you follow, Joseph “Joey” Ruzevich is either the youngest millennial or an old zillennial, not quite of the generation that grew up taking part in active shooter drills at school.

About to turn 29 in February, the Mt. Greenwood resident is challenging U.S. Rep. Sean Casten in the March 17 democratic primary in Illinois’s 6th Congressional District. Ruzevich boasts that his grassroots campaign has built “unprecedented” momentum for a first-time candidate.

“It has been great. We are all over the district every day, either canvassing in Cook or DuPage County,” Ruzevich told Patch.

Through his travels talking to IL-06 voters, encompassing DuPage and Cook Counties, Ruzevich claims that there is a dissatisfaction with Casten and the democratic establishment, since the old IL-03 democratic leadership and IL-06 were divvied up after the 2020 census.

“Casten completely ignores Cook County, He’s abandoned the district,” Ruzevich said. “What I’m hearing is that a lot of people’s lives haven’t gotten better under Casten. He’s made no significant effort to improve the day-to-day lives of his constituents.”

Ruzevich has been crisscrossing IL-06 hosting affordability workshops, explaining how the economy got to where it is now, and what’s driving up costs and prices.

“People are feeling not only that technology is being used to price gouge, but taking away our humanity,” he said. “Casten hasn’t talked about this at all.”

He blames the influx of data centers being built across the state for driving up utility costs.

“They are consuming a far greater supply of energy that what we have. We can absolutely pass legislation to require that [companies] to build their own energy supplies,” Ruzevich said. “The data centers are used mainly to create technology for AI. All the outcomes are negative, and it’s costing us more money for electricity. None of it is being used to create jobs or cure cancer.”

He supports breaking up monopolies Ma Bell-style, like tech giants and corporate media companies (Comcast, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros/Discovery) which he said has led to the destruction of local news media.

“It has diluted freedom of the press,” Ruzevich said. “Consolidation of big media has led to the dismantling of local news media, which is the lifeblood of democracy.”

Since announcing his candidacy in July, Ruzevich’s campaign claims to have knocked on over 10,000 doors, attended 130 meet and greets, recruited 84 volunteers, received 12 endorsements (including former IL-03 Congresswoman Marie Newman) and garnered 1 million social media views.
Eschewing corporate and PAC money, Ruzevich has raised $115,000 for his campaign, mostly from grassroots donors. He’s banking on IL-06 voters’ disenchantment with the Democratic establishment.

“Everyone said it would be difficult to get volunteers, raise money and convince people you are the candidate at this moment,” he said. People are desperate for change and open to the message I am putting out.”

Ruzevich grew up in Orland Park and graduated from Brother Rice High School and attended Moraine Valley Community College, before graduating from Loyola University-New Orleans. He a software engineer with his own IT business. Ruzevich even played professional basketball for the SG Art Giants in Dusseldorf, Germany.

“Joey is a smart guy,” a pundit told Patch. “He knows the issues better than most first-time candidates, but he’s going up against a well-funded incumbent.”

He’s banking on IL-06 voters’ disenchantment with the Democratic establishment in the upcoming March 17 primary.

“The American Dream is certainly of reach for my generation, very simply the ability to buy a home and start a family on a single income, those days are over,” Ruzevich said. “The economic forces and pressures to provide childcare. It’s not even a choice being forced into a workplace even if it’s against their desires. Career or family are no longer an option.”

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