Nikki Budzinski

Early life and education

Budzinski was born in Peoria, Illinois. Her paternal grandparents were both union members: Leonard Budzinski, her grandfather, as a painter employed by the Peoria School District, and her grandmother as a teacher in the same district.

Budzinski graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and interned for U.S. Representative Dick Gephardt, U.S. Senator Paul Simon, and Planned Parenthood.

Early career

Budzinski started her career at the Laborers' International Union of North America and the International Association of Fire Fighters before spending seven years with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) unions. She worked for the UFCW as national political director in Washington, D.C.

During the 2018 Illinois gubernatorial election, Budzinski led J. B. Pritzker's exploratory committee and was later a senior advisor to his campaign, focusing on political strategy, messaging and outreach. After Pritzker won, she was named transition director.

When Pritzker became governor on January 14, 2019, Budzinski was appointed senior advisor. She simultaneously chaired the Broadband Advisory Council (BAC), a state agency "charged with ... expand[ing] broadband access, adoption, and utilization" in Illinois. Budzinski resigned as senior advisor to the governor in March 2020. She worked with John Podesta to advise the National Climate Jobs Resource Center and was Executive Director for Climate Jobs Illinois.

In February 2021, Budzinski, recommended for the post by Podesta, was appointed chief of staff of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). During her tenure as chief of staff, she helped set up the OMB's Made in America division. On July 16, 2021, Budzinski resigned to return to Illinois, saying she "felt it was a good time to come back [to Illinois] ... after getting things off the ground here".

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

On August 24, 2021, Budzinski announced her bid for the Democratic nomination for Illinois's 13th congressional district. The district had been significantly redrawn to favor Democrats; it now included the core of the Metro East. She won the primary in June 2022 against David Palmer and the general election in November against the Republican nominee, Regan Deering.

Tenure

Budzinski is a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition.

Committee assignments

For the 119th Congress:

Committee on Agriculture

Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Developments

Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology

Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit

Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Subcommittee on Technology Modernization (Ranking Member)

Caucus memberships

Black Maternal Health Caucus

Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment

Congressional Equality Caucus

Future Forum

New Democrat Coalition

Political positions

Budzinski has been described as a centrist.

Budzinski is against Medicare for All and opposes a single-payer healthcare system, and has stated her belief that "more competition in the healthcare system actually makes for a better healthcare system but will also bring down costs".

In January 2025, Budzinski was one of 48 Democrats who voted for the Laken Riley Act, which mandated the detention, without bond, of undocumented immigrants who are accused of crimes. On the question of whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be reformed or abolished, in August 2026 she said "The training — there is no training for these officers", and believes there should be "system-wide reform" of the agency, "but it doesn’t change, whatever you want to call it, we need immigration enforcement in this country."

In 2023 Budzinski co-sponsored a resolution to reaffirm U.S. support for Israel following the October 7 attacks. She has voted in favor of military aid to Israel throughout the Gaza war, and although she has expressed concern about humanitarian conditions in Gaza and supported ceasefire efforts, she has vocally supported Israel's "right to self defense", saying "I do believe that Israel has a right to defend itself, and I do support that. They are the only democracy within the Middle East". She has received criticism for accepting money from the Israel lobby, including AIPAC. In July 2026, Budzinski was one of 98 Democrats who voted against an amendment introduced by Thomas Massie which would have eliminated $3.3 billion in aid to Israel.