| Name | Dr O Kent Mercado JD |
|---|---|
| What office are you running for? | US Congress |
| County, District/Township | IL 11 |
| Address | PO Box 2754 Naperville, Illinois 60567 Map It |
| Phone | (630) 697-4771 |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Are you currently the officeholder and seeking re-election? | no |
| Is this your first time running for office? | Yes |
| Election Date | 03/19/2024 |
| Website | drkentmercadoforcongress.com |
| Social Media Handles | https://www.linkedin.com/in/drokentmercadojd/ |
| KEY ISSUES | |
| 1. Provide the top 2 reason why you want to run for office. | For the past 25 years I have served the 11th district as a physician, attorney and humanitarian |
| 2. Name the top 2 issues in your county, state, or federal district that you wish to address and how? | Cost of living |
| 3. Do you support defunding the police? | Absolutely not! Possibly reviewing reform in training and de-escalation. I just talked with Sheriff Mendrick (DuPage) and they did not have a single incident, and have brought their recidivism rate for 90-18%. |
| 4. What are your thoughts on “Diversity Equity and Inclusion”? Should this be implemented as training for county/city/federal employees? Why or why not? | I have been trained in DEI and found that while the original intent seemed like a good idea, the actual implementation has been bad. We all want equal opportunities, but having someone else's will forced on you or being punished for questioning is wrong. |
| 5. With growing pressure to accommodate various lifestyles/identities how would you manage to keep your city/town safe and family friendly? | Not very well since I refuse to address anyone by a specific pronoun. I feel that it is selfish for people to insist and if you do not, then you must be punished. I have had Trans patients and I addressed by the name they wished to be called. |
| 6. Do you think involving residents in decision making in your city/town is important? Why or not? | Of course, particularly on the school board. Why can't a parent opt out/opt in to varies subjects and activities, particularly on sensitive topics that maybe better to address at home. |
| 7. If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city/town/county any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? | Interactive outdoor activity center with adaptive fitness and recreational programs that provide a better quality of life for individuals living with paralysis and various disabilities. |
| 8. What is your opinion on sanctuary cities/autonomous zones within your city/town? | The idea of sanctuary cities/autonomous zones is to create you own rules and laws. Seeing what happens when undocumented people try entering a sanctuary city and were sent away (Martha vineyard and NYC ) they do it only for the publicity. |
| 9. What are your thoughts on mandating the closure of privately owned businesses due to public health concerns aside from code violations? | I know it was wrong and I hope they never try to impose these restrictions again. Thousands of businesses were forced to close during the shut down, many never recovered. Where was the science that allowed big box stores but not small stores to remain open |
| 10. Who is the ultimate authority over the health and safety of the people in your city/town? | Illinois Department of Health. |
| 11. Are you endorsed by other organizations? If so, which ones? | This is the first endorsement I have asked for. The Medical Executive Post provided a professional endorsement as a subject matter expert. |
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