Nikki
Budzinski

Nikki Budzinski is an expert in labor and climate politics, working at the intersection of environmental justice and union advocacy to advance clean energy in the state of Illinois.

Budzinski has dedicated her career to public service. After college, she worked for the International Association of Fire Fighters union and then became national political director of the United Food and Commercial Workers union. In 2018, she served on JB Pritzker’s campaign for governor of Illinois and became his senior labor advisor. Budzinski also served as executive director for Climate Jobs Illinois, a coalition of 12 state unions pushing for clean energy infrastructure programs to combat climate change and racial inequality. During the first six months of the Biden administration, she served as chief of staff at the Office of Management and Budget, where she helped implement the American Rescue Plan and get the Made in America Office up and running.

As a representative, Budzinski will continue to advance a just and equitable clean energy transition and fight to defend clean air and water, protect public lands protections from oil drilling, and create more accessible, high-paying union jobs in the clean energy sector.

Budzinski joins the U.S. House to fill the seat of Representative Rodney Davis, who unsuccessfully ran for reelection in the Illinois’ 15th Congressional District due to redistricting and earned a 10% lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard.

In her own words:

“There is much work that needs to be done to ensure we are responsibly transitioning to a 21st century economy while making sure that working families are at the center of the conversation. I am eager to get to work on these important issues.”
– LCVAF Press Release