JB
Joe Berning
Candidate for State Senate
REP
CHALLENGER
Biography
Joe Berning, a lifelong resident of Northwest Illinois, was born and raised on a dairy and hog farm. After farming, he built a 44-year career in sales, marketing, and management, including roles at a Fortune 500 company and as owner of JB Consulting. Married for nearly 45 years with three children, he is an active community member and joined the Jo Daviess County Democrats in 2019. He is running for Illinois State Senate District 45 in November 2026, motivated by a desire to ensure all voices are heard and to address issues like declining family farms and the affordability crisis.
Top Priorities
- Help save family farms by advocating for programs that assist all farms more equally and incentives for young farmers.
- Solve the affordability crisis for lower to middle-class families by advocating for fair wages, benefits, and strong unions.
- Protect and conserve social services like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits, ensuring affordable healthcare for everyone.