13th Congressional Dist. Candidate claims victory with nearly all votes counted

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Republican candidate, Joshua Loyd (R-Virden), speaking with Illinois Public Media Political Reporter, David Pierce, during an interview on Feb. 24th
  • Photo: David Pierce

West Point graduate Joshua Loyd, who won the Republican primary in the 13th Congressional District, is looking forward to challenging first-time Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski in November.

Loyd, an entrepreneur residing in Virden at the border of Macoupin and Sangamon Counties, leads his primary opponent, Thomas Clatterbuck, by 12 percentage points with most precincts reporting.

Speaking to IPM Political Reporter David Pierce, Loyd expressed his intention to focus on education in his campaign against Budzinski. “I’m staying pretty consistent,” Loyd said. “I believe that we need an educated workforce, so I’m trying to support the teachers and their mission to help our posterity. I’m trying to help community organizations—those organizations that assist people.”

Loyd also mentioned that he and his former primary opponent plan to collaborate in his election campaign.

The 13th Congressional District encompasses parts of Metro East, Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign-Urbana.

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David Pierce

David Pierce is a content creator for TV, radio, and digital platforms, with a focus on politics and culture. He is the producer of a feature series called “Voice of the Voter”, where young people express their views on the importance of the 2024 election, the issues they believe are affecting them, and their concerns about democracy. In the Fall of 2024, he is set to produce a documentary on the University of Illinois’ “Project 500”, an affirmative action program that was initiated following the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968. David earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2017. He returned to Champaign-Urbana in 2020 to take on the roles of producer and reporter at Fox Illinois. Earlier in his career, David produced his own show, “The Intellekt,” which was broadcast on YouTube. The show also aired on the online news outlet Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV). He covered popular culture events, such as the Chicago Auto Show and the grand opening of the world’s largest Starbucks, highlighting their impact on the residents of Chicago.