2026 Election: Danielle Penman, Illinois Senate District 33

ST. CHARLES, IL — Danielle Penman, a Republican running for Illinois' 33rd Senate District, says reducing property taxes, lowering energy costs and making Illinois more affordable are among her top priorities if elected to the Illinois General Assembly.

Penman, a St. Charles resident and nurse with more than 26 years of experience, is seeking elected office for the first time. She holds a master's degree in executive nurse leadership and bachelor's degrees in nursing and science, with a focus on mental health advocacy.

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Penman recently completed Patch's 2026 candidate questionnaire, sharing her positions on state spending, pension reform, immigration, public safety, data centers and other issues facing Illinois voters.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Penman's responses to Patch's questionnaire are included below.

Name: Danielle Penman

Town of Residence: St. Charles

Position Sought: Illinois State Senate, District 33

Party Affiliation: Republican

Education: Master's Degree in Executive Nurse Leadership, Bachelor Degree in Nursing, and Bachelor Degree in Science with a focus on Mental Health Advocacy.

Occupation: Nurse for over 26 year

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: None

Campaign Website: DaniellePenman.com

The single most pressing issue facing our district or state is ___________, and this is what I intend to do about it.

When I go door to door and talk with people across the district, the rising cost of living comes up constantly. Property taxes are usually at the top of the list, and energy bills are not far behind. These aren't expenses families can simply cut when money gets tight. They affect whether a family can afford a home or whether someone who has spent decades paying for theirs can afford to stay in it when they retire.

Every election year, politicians in Springfield promise property tax relief, but it never arrives. We need to lower the burden. An immediate first step that I would support is increasing homeowner exemptions and tying it to the cost of living, so it doesn't become less meaningful over time.

We also must deal with what drives property taxes higher: unfunded mandates. Springfield routinely puts new requirements on schools and local governments without providing enough money to cover the cost. Someone still must pay for those requirements, and too often the burden falls on property taxpayers. If the state creates a new mandate, it should find the way to pay for it.

I'm also increasingly hearing the same concerns about energy bills. Illinois is moving toward deadlines that will force reliable power plants off the grid at the same time electricity demand is on the rise. That doesn't make sense if replacement power isn't ready. We should keep the plants we still need operating and make it easier to bring new sources of power online. Increasing supply is how we protect reliability and put downward pressure on energy bills.

These are basic household expenses that people don't have the option of simply going without. Making Illinois more affordable starts with recognizing where people need relief the most and taking meaningful steps to lower those costs.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I believe the biggest difference in this race is who we are running to represent. I am not a politician, and I was not recruited by political insiders or the party bosses to run for this office. I am a nurse, wife, mother, community advocate, and a first-time candidate who decided to step forward because I believe our district deserves an independent voice in Springfield. I ran in a contested primary, took my case directly to voters, and earned their support.

That independence matters to me. I am not running to represent a political party or the lobbyists in Springfield. I am running to represent everyone who calls this district home. That means being willing to work with Republicans, Democrats, or anyone else who has a good idea to lower healthcare costs, reduce the burden of property taxes, and make Illinois more affordable.

My opponent represents a very different choice. She was hand-picked by party leaders, had no primary opponent, and has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the same Springfield insiders that have controlled state government for years. She is a product of the political system that has continually asked taxpayers for more while families in our district contend with rising property taxes, higher electric bills, and an increasingly unaffordable cost of living.

This race presents a clear choice: elect a candidate backed by the Springfield establishment to serve its interests or choose someone whose position and loyalty are rooted in the people of this district.

If you support tax cuts in Illinois, what spending should be eliminated to offset those cuts? Please be specific. Should Illinois enact a progressive income tax in which higher earners pay greater percentages of their income?

For years, Springfield has increased spending and passed huge budgets with little review. New spending and taxes are often introduced at the end of the legislative session and rushed to a vote before lawmakers or the public can understand them. We must ask a simple question: what are taxpayers getting for the money they already pay?

We need to review the state budget line by line. We should combine duplicate programs, cut administrative costs, end outdated programs, and review state unfunded mandates that raise local costs and property taxes.

Before asking taxpayers for more money, Springfield must set priorities, cut waste, and live within its means.

What specific steps should be taken to reduce the state's massive unfunded liability in its pension systems?

For years, Illinois politicians created a system that provided massive benefits to supportive constituencies knowing the costs wouldn't have to be paid for a generation. Today our pension systems are less than 50 percent funded, leaving taxpayers with an enormous unfunded liability. To dig ourselves out of this fiscal mess, we need to continue making our annual pension payments while setting a path toward fully funding the system and paying down that debt faster.

One way to accelerate that progress is by finding savings elsewhere in the state budget. A serious, line-by-line review can eliminate unnecessary costs and identify areas where we are spending more than we need to. When those savings are identified, we should look for opportunities to use a portion of the savings to pay down our pension debt faster and reduce the long-term cost to taxpayers.

Just as important as finding ways to pay down the existing debt is making sure we are not adding to it. We need to address legitimate concerns within the pension system, but we cannot do it by creating billions of dollars in new obligations without a plan to pay for them. Any changes we make need to be fully funded so we are not adding to the burden taxpayers are already being asked to pay.

This problem took years to build, and there is no quick fix. We must make the required annual payments, find savings to pay down the debt faster, and stop adding new debt without a way to pay for it.

What would you do to make housing, food, gas and utilities more affordable for Illinois residents?

We cannot control every factor that goes into the cost of housing, food, gasoline, and utilities. However, there are important ways state government can help create an environment where taxes and fees are lower, businesses want to invest and grow, and good-paying jobs give families more room in their budgets.

For too long, Illinois has tried to solve problems by asking taxpayers for more. We need to change that approach. I will look for opportunities to provide broad tax relief that allows people to keep more of what they earn, while making Illinois a more competitive place to raise a family, start a business, create jobs, and invest. A stronger economy with more opportunities and rising wages is one of the most important things we can do to help families afford the things they need.

Tax relief also requires discipline in how state government spends money. Before asking taxpayers for another dollar, we should be going through the state budget line by line, identifying waste and duplication, and making sure the money people already send to Springfield is being spent efficiently and on the priorities that matter most to Illinois residents.

Making Illinois more affordable isn't about creating another government program for every problem. It's about growing our economy, keeping taxes and the cost of government under control, and creating more opportunities for people to earn a good living and build a future here.

How has the state's decision to legalize marijuana in 2019 worked out?

Marijuana has been legal in Illinois for several years, and legalization continues to have broad public support. Our focus now should be on making sure legalization continues to work responsibly and that we address concerns as they arise.

As a nurse, I am concerned about the short- and long-term health risks of marijuana use. Today's products are much stronger than those available decades ago, and some concentrates contain nearly 30 times more THC. We are seeing more emergency room visits for cannabis intoxication, and frequent, heavy use can cause severe nausea and repeated hospital visits. As marijuana products and usage change, our public-health education must keep pace.

We also need to do more to protect young children from accidental exposure. Edibles can look just like candy or other foods, and we're seeing more children brought to emergency rooms for cannabis poisoning. We should continue looking at packaging and labeling requirements, safe-storage practices, and better education for parents, so these products do not end up in the hands of children.

With marijuana legalized in Illinois, our responsibility is to keep the law current and put reasonable safeguards in place to protect public health.

What role, if any, should the state play in keeping the Bears in Illinois, and what public assistance would you support for a new stadium? What would losing the Chicago Bears to a neighboring state mean in terms of loss of revenue?

I would like to see the Bears stay in Illinois. They have been part of this state for more than a century, and I don't think we should be in a position where they are seriously considering moving across state lines.

However, wanting them to stay doesn't mean taxpayers should be expected to buy a stadium for a multibillion-dollar organization. The Bears should be responsible for financing the stadium itself.

The state should be working with Arlington Heights on roads and infrastructure needed to support a development of this size and helping create a fair and predictable tax environment that gives everyone some certainty going forward.

I think state leaders should have been working toward an agreement sooner. There is room for a responsible deal that protects taxpayers while giving the Bears good reasons to remain in Illinois for another hundred years.

Should the state cooperate with federal immigration authorities in investigations? What should be the limits, if any?

The immigration debate too often loses sight of the people involved. We must enforce our laws and keep our communities safe, while remembering that government decisions affect real people and families.

Federal immigration laws should be enforced, and Illinois should allow federal authorities to do their jobs. People who are in the country illegally and commit serious crimes should not simply be released back into our communities putting residents at further risk.

At the same time, the law must be enforced with humanity and respect for every person's dignity. When children are involved, keeping families together should remain a priority while the law is followed.

I think we can enforce the law, keep our communities safe, and still treat people with humanity. That's the balance I would work toward.

Should the state regulate Flock cameras/automated license plate readers? Why or why not?

Flock cameras and other license plate readers can be an incredibly valuable tool for law enforcement. They can help locate an abducted child, identify a stolen vehicle, or give police an important lead in the investigation of a violent crime. When used the right way, this technology can apprehend dangerous offenders quickly and potentially prevent another crime from occurring. In a real sense, Flock cameras can save lives.

At the same time, there are legitimate privacy concerns when a network of cameras can effectively track where law-abiding citizens are traveling. Moreover, that information can be stored and searched or shared with a multitude of state and federal agencies. Illinois already places some restrictions on how license plate reader data can be shared, but as this technology becomes more widespread, our laws need to keep pace.

I support reasonable safeguards that give law enforcement agencies the ability to use these cameras to protect the public while establishing clear rules for how the data can be used, how long it can be retained, who can access it, and when it can be shared.

Should the Illinois General Assembly adopt new rules for dealing with sexual harassment complaints against elected House and Senate members by staffers? How can the current system be enforced? What are your ideas for improving the ILGA's sexual harassment policies?

Public service is a position of trust, and no staffer should have to choose between tolerating sexual harassment or putting their career at risk by reporting an elected official. The rules should protect the people who come forward and ensure credible allegations are investigated regardless of who is involved.

The Benton case exposed a serious weakness in the current process. A staffer reported allegations of sexual harassment to the Speaker's office in 2023 but chose not to pursue a formal complaint with the Legislative Inspector General (LIG). Those allegations were documented, yet it was allowed to stop there. A credible allegation of sexual harassment should not depend entirely on whether a staffer is willing to personally initiate an investigation against someone who may have significant power over their career.

We should establish clear requirements for legislative leaders and supervisors who receive credible allegations of sexual harassment. Those allegations should be referred to the LIG for review, while protecting the confidentiality of the person who came forward and providing strong protections against retaliation. The LIG should then determine whether an investigation is warranted based on the facts, rather than leaving it in the hands of political leaders.

The LIG also needs the independence and authority to effectively conduct those investigations. If documents or testimony are needed, the LIG should have independent subpoena authority rather than having to seek approval from a commission appointed by legislative leaders. There should also be clear consequences for anyone who retaliates against a staffer, interferes with an investigation, or knowingly fails to follow the reporting requirements.

I am a first-time candidate and a political outsider. I have no interest in protecting the way Springfield has always done things. If someone has the courage to report sexual harassment, they should know there are rules and people in place to protect them.

Should the state of Illinois impose a moratorium on the building of data centers? Why or why not?

Data centers can bring significant investment into our state and community, but they can also place enormous demands on our electricity, water, and local infrastructure. Before a project moves forward, communities should know what the demands on the local infrastructure will be, what improvements or upgrades will be needed, and who will pay for them.

The state's primary role is to set a baseline for transparency, so communities know what a proposed development will mean before decisions are made.

Then, it is the people who live in a community who should have the most significant say in whether a data center project makes sense to move forward. Local officials understand their roads, neighborhoods, water systems, and infrastructure in a way Springfield cannot. A data center may make sense in one community and be wrong for another.

My position is simple: families shouldn't see their utility bills or property taxes go up because a major private development comes to town. Developers should be upfront about their needs from the community and responsible for the costs their projects create. The state should make sure those standards are met, but it shouldn't dictate every zoning and siting decision. I trust communities to know what is right for them.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I believe public service should be exactly that: service. I wasn't asked to run for State Senate. I chose to run because I care deeply about the community I have called home for more than 20 years. I care about the families who live here, the challenges they are facing, and the future we are building for our children.

For nearly three decades, my career in healthcare has been centered around caring for and serving others. Running for office may look different, but for me, the purpose is much the same: listen, show up, advocate, and serve. That approach will guide my positions in Springfield. I will put the needs of the people I represent ahead of politics and work with anyone who is willing to make our state more affordable, our communities safer, and our healthcare system stronger.

I'm not running for a title. I'm running because I believe District 33 deserves someone who will always remember who they work for: you.