Kevin Ryan
| Kevin Ryan | |
|---|---|
| File:Ryan Kevin 082-2258.webpRyan Kevin 082-2258.webp | |
| Born | Evergreen Park, Illinois |
| 🏫 Education | Bachelor's of Arts in History, Minor in Secondary Education University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Master of Arts in Diplomatic Studies from the University of Oxford Master of Arts in Security Studies from Georgetown University |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| 📆 Years active | 2014–present (United States Marine Corps Reserve) |
| 🏛️ Political party | Democratic |
| 🌐 Website | runwithkev |
Kevin Ryan is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and current Chicago Public Schools teacher running as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Illinois.[1] in the March 17, 2026 primary to succeed retiring Senator Dick Durbin.[2] He is campaigning statewide and has visited all 102 counties in Illinois in the last few months — often from a converted bus — emphasizing grassroots engagement and reforms like limiting big-money influence in politics.[3]
Early life
Ryan was born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago,[4] growing up in Orland Park, Illinois. After completing his early education, he went on to earn a degree in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before serving in the United States Marine Corps, with deployments that included Afghanistan, Africa, Eastern Europe, and assignments at The Pentagon. During his reserve duty, Ryan worked as a history and civics teacher in Chicago, drawing on his experiences growing up in the region and his commitment to public service.
Ryan has spoken publicly about the influence of his family on his values and public service. He has cited his older brother’s struggles with addiction and mental illness as a formative experience, shaping his views on healthcare access, mental health services, and the importance of compassionate public policy.[5]
Education
Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in secondary education from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he studied history and civics and prepared for a career in public education. During his undergraduate years, he developed a strong interest in democratic institutions, public service, and civic engagement—interests that later informed both his teaching career and political outlook.
Ryan went on to earn a Master of Arts degree abroad at the University of Oxford, where he completed graduate-level coursework in diplomacy and international affairs, focusing on global governance, security policy, and international institutions. He later earned an additional graduate degree in the United States at Georgetown University, where he undertook advanced study in national security and foreign policy. His postgraduate education closely intersected with his military service, reinforcing his emphasis on the connection between academic policy training, real-world security challenges, and democratic accountability.
Career and public service
Military service
Ryan served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps,[6] where he balanced military service alongside his civilian career in education. He was commissioned as an infantry officer[7] and later served in advisory and staff roles, gaining experience across both operational and strategic levels of military planning.
Ryan deployed to Afghanistan between 2019 and 2020, where he worked as a combat adviser supporting allied and partner forces during the later stages of the U.S. mission. During this deployment, he emphasized coalition coordination, civil-military engagement, and the protection of local partners, experiences he has cited as shaping his views on U.S. foreign policy, military accountability, and post-conflict responsibility. He has spoken publicly about maintaining contact with Afghan interpreters and partners following the U.S. withdrawal, highlighting long-term obligations to those who assisted American forces.
In addition to combat deployments, Ryan completed assignments in Europe and at The Pentagon, where he was exposed to defense policy formulation, interagency coordination, and national security budgeting. These roles provided him with insight into how strategic decisions made in Washington translate into operational realities on the ground.
Throughout his military career, Ryan concurrently worked as a Chicago Public Schools teacher, instructing history and civics. His dual service as a Marine officer and public educator became a defining feature of his public profile, reinforcing his emphasis on civic responsibility, democratic institutions, and public service. He has described the contrast between classroom teaching and military command as influential in shaping his political outlook, particularly on issues of governance, leadership, and institutional trust.
Ryan’s military and civilian experiences ultimately informed his decision to pursue national office, framing his Senate campaign around themes of democratic reform, accountable leadership, and a foreign policy centered on human rights and long-term strategic responsibility.
Chicago public schools
After completing his history degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Ryan began his career as a history and civics teacher, where he taught students across multiple grade levels and subjects. He initially taught at Perspectives Math & Science Academy, a public charter school on Chicago’s South Side, where he worked with middle and high school students taking a position at Marine Leadership Academy on the West Side—a military-focused Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps school—Ryan primarily taught 10th-grade classes, drawing on his military background to engage students in leadership and civic education.
Ryan taught a range of courses, including Chicago history and Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics, emphasizing both local civic engagement and broader national political structures. According to his campaign narrative, he taught students from 6th through 12th grade, adapting his instruction to the diverse needs of CPS students in urban classrooms.
His time as an educator overlapped with his service in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, and his classroom experience informed his later policy focus on educational equity, civic participation, and democratic engagement. Ryan has cited his teaching background as foundational to his understanding of community needs, particularly in underserved neighborhoods, and as a motivating factor for entering electoral politics.
U.S. Senate campaign
Ryan announced his candidacy for the United States Senate from Illinois in advance of the 2026 election, running in the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Senator Dick Durbin. Positioning himself as an outsider to traditional political fundraising networks,[8] Ryan launched his campaign with an emphasis on grassroots organizing, small-dollar donations, and direct voter engagement across the state.[9]
Ryan’s campaign has been marked by extensive travel throughout Illinois, including urban, suburban, and rural communities. He has frequently highlighted his background as a public-school teacher and Marine Corps officer as central to his candidacy, framing his campaign around themes of democratic reform, accountability in government, and opposition to the influence of corporate money in politics. His platform prioritizes campaign finance reform, labor rights, universal healthcare, climate action, and structural changes to democratic institutions, including support for term limits, bans on congressional stock trading, and independent redistricting.
Throughout the campaign, Ryan has emphasized face-to-face organizing and town-hall-style events, arguing that national political leadership should be more directly accountable to voters rather than party leadership or major donors. His messaging has focused on rebuilding public trust in government and expanding political participation, particularly among younger voters and working-class communities.
Ryan's Senate bid has been described as part of a broader progressive challenge within the Illinois Democratic primary, contrasting establishment-backed candidates with those advocating more sweeping institutional reforms.[10]
Political views
Ryan has articulated a progressive policy platform centered on democratic reform, economic equity, and institutional accountability. His positions emphasize structural changes to government alongside expanded social protections. He often coins himself as a New Deal Democrat.[citation needed]
Democratic and campaign finance reform
Ryan has made reducing the influence of money in politics a central focus of his campaign. He supports constitutional amendments to allow limits on campaign spending, banning Super PACs,[11] prohibiting members of Congress from trading individual stocks, instituting term and age limits for federal lawmakers, and establishing independent redistricting commissions. He also backs nonpartisan ranked-choice voting as a means of increasing voter participation and reducing partisan polarization.[12]
Economic and labor policy
On economic issues, Ryan supports strengthening labor protections and expanding collective bargaining rights. He has endorsed the PRO Act, advocated for sectoral bargaining, and called for tougher antitrust enforcement to counter corporate consolidation. His platform frames economic inequality as a democratic risk and emphasizes policies aimed at empowering workers rather than relying solely on market-based solutions.[13]
Healthcare
Ryan supports Medicare for All, arguing that healthcare should be treated as a public good rather than a commodity.[citation needed] He has stated that a universal, government-run system would reduce costs, expand access, and eliminate disparities created by employer-based insurance.[citation needed]
Climate and energy
Ryan backs aggressive federal action on climate change, including support for a Green New Deal–style framework that combines emissions reduction with job creation and infrastructure investment. He has emphasized transitioning away from fossil fuels while expanding domestic renewable energy production.[citation needed]
Immigration
On immigration, Ryan advocates a humane approach that balances border security with expanded legal pathways and protections for migrants and asylum seekers. He has criticized punitive enforcement-only strategies and argues that labor mobility should better reflect global economic realities.[14]
Criminal justice
Ryan supports criminal justice reform focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment.[citation needed] His positions include abolishing the federal death penalty, reducing mass incarceration, and expanding reentry and mental health services.[citation needed]
Foreign policy and national security
Drawing on his military background, Ryan promotes a foreign policy centered on human rights, alliance cooperation, and congressional oversight of military engagements. He supports continued assistance to Ukraine and emphasizes U.S. responsibility toward local partners in conflict zones. He has also called for greater accountability in defense spending and war powers.[citation needed]
Civil rights and social policy
Ryan supports federal protections for reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and voting access. He has framed civil liberties as essential to democratic legitimacy and social stability.[15][16]
References
- ↑ McClelland, Edward. "A Little Insight on a Few Crowded Races". Chicago Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
- ↑ "Kevin Ryan – US Senate, Illinois". BLU TSU. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ "Kevin Ryan's U.S. Senate Campaign Hits the Road: "Look for the Bus"". Will Cook County News. 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ Houlihan, Mike. "Kevin Ryan is Lighting Up Illinois Politics". Irish Echo Newspaper. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ Schlitz, Heather (October 3, 2025). "Police scuffle with protesters outside Chicago ICE facility, arrest several". Reuters.
- ↑ "Officer Promotions for May 2025 and Projected Officer Promotions for June 2025". United States Marine Corps Flagship. Archived from the original on 2025-04-30. Retrieved 2026-01-14. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Kevin Ryan, a platoon commander". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
- ↑ Sapp, Brian (2025-08-19). "US Senate Candidate looks to change campaign finance and support workers". WSIU. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ "Ryan, Kevin – Candidate overview". FEC.gov. 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ Koch, Jason (Aug 27, 2025). "Seven questions with U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Ryan". The Edwardsville Intelligencer.
- ↑ "Ryan to run for U.S. Senate". The Leader Union. 2025-07-02. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ Hinton, Dave (2025-07-21). "Illinois grad ex-Marine seeking Durbin's U.S. Senate seat". The News-Gazette. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ "ASBL 29: Kevin Ryan, 2026 Senate Candidate for Illinois". American Small Business League. 2025-08-27. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ Lum, Joanie (2025-10-08). "National Guard could be coming to Broadview ICE facility". FOX 32 Chicago. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
- ↑ Violet, Miller (September 30, 2025). "Protesters take to Michigan Avenue as threat of military deployment looms over city". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Illinois officials issue orders and file lawsuits as protesters clash with immigration agents". NBC News. 2025-10-06. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
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