In Washington, I'll always support military families and help veterans make the transition home, not just as your congressman but as a proud Army mom.

As a judge, when I saw veterans in legal trouble, I created the state's first veterans court to help them get treatment and get back on their feet.

Families in Illinois don't want lies and political mudslinging.

Both of my children - my daughter Caroline, a public school teacher, and my son Elliot, an Army Ranger - are dedicating their lives to public service; thus, they have inspired my own decision to run for Congress.

I practically lived in the woods when I was a kid, avoiding grown-ups and my dysfunctional family, pretending I was half-wolf, a feral child who napped in nests made out of ferns, ate wild blueberries, and wove sticks and feathers into her hair.

None of my family are musicians, but there was a lot of classic rock and country going on. I always wanted to sing. As soon as I expressed an interest my mom was super supportive of me.

I've always felt this, from when I was growing up to now with my son Riley. We don't let them be little. I was not a normal kid, but I had a sense of innocence far longer than we let kids.

My husband has the philosophy that if you can work a Nintendo control, you can chop an onion. So, we have our children in the kitchen. We sit down every night for dinner. We're trying to give our kids a sense of what's going into their bodies, and it's also good for family time.