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Republican

R.Cary Capparelli

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Republican

R.Cary Capparelli

Website

Illinois Republican Senate nominee?

$87.6K

MAR 24, 2026

Primary Election

Party selects its nominee.

3 more

Overview

Current rolePresident, OMNI-Communique Inc.

PartyRepublican

Political ideologyConservative Republican

LocationIllinois

BackgroundPresident, OMNI-Communique Inc.

EducationPh.D., Geography, University of London (Birkbeck College)

Notable personal detailsR. Cary Capparelli is a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Illinois and an online geography instructor at South Dakota State University. He is president of OMNI-Communique Inc. and has held appointed public roles including public member of the Illinois Banking & Real Estate Board (1997–1999) and a seat on the Illinois International Port District board (2000–2009). His education includes degrees from Drake University, Northwestern University, Northeastern Illinois University, and a Ph.D. in geography from the University of London.

SourcesShow

fec.gov docquery.fec.gov sdstate.edu chicago.suntimes.com ipmnewsroom.org everything.explained.today en.wikipedia.org elections.il.gov applications.kanecountyil.gov mchenrycountyblog.com cbsnews.com ivoterguide.com einpresswire.com wifr.com nprillinois.org 0e190a550a8c4c8c4b93-fcd009c875a5577fd4fe2f5b7e3bf4eb.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com mchenrycountyil.gov kendallcountyil.gov jacksoncounty-il.gov rcarycapparelli.net sjodaily.com einnews.com justfacts.votesmart.org news.wttw.com kanegop.org will.illinois.edu caryillinois.com dailyherald.com marquardtco.com cary.health mahometdaily.com military.einnews.com localcandidates.org illinoisrighttolifeaction.org ballotpedia.org capitolnewsillinois.com evanstonroundtable.com stlpr.org chicagotribune.com sj-r.com facebook.com votesmart.org developer.ballotpedia.org static.votesmart.org ballotready.org congress.gov durbin.senate.gov govinfo.gov

Positions

LiberalConservative

Healthcare

Supports making healthcare available and affordable for all Americans and identifies mental health as a crisis; does not provide detailed policy prescriptions such as support for Medicare for All, a public option, or specific market-based reforms in the cited materials.

Immigration & Border

Supports preventing illegal entry and maintaining secure borders, framing immigration as a national security and law-and-order issue. Emphasizes enforcement measures and homeland-security-focused oversight rather than proposals for expanded legal pathways or broad regularization.

Abortion & Reproductive Rights

The candidate has received endorsements and ratings from pro‑life organizations and has been rated 100% by Illinois Right to Life Action, indicating opposition to abortion access and alignment with restrictionist positions. The campaign website does not include an explicit policy statement on abortion.

Climate & Energy

The candidate emphasizes safe water management, flood/runoff solutions, and describes his approach to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District as “ecology-friendly yet fiscally responsible.” His campaign priorities list general goals like economic strength and national security but do not present a clear, detailed policy on climate or energy transitions.

Public Safety & Guns

The candidate emphasizes support for police and addressing mental-health crises as part of public-safety priorities but does not state a clear, detailed firearms policy on his campaign site. Past interest-group ratings show a mixed record on gun issues (for example, a 42% NRA rating in 2020).

News

AINews Summary

Last updatedMar 14, 2026

R. Cary Capparelli is in the news as the 2026 Illinois U.S. Senate race takes shape and candidates spar over immigration enforcement, including whether ICE should be abolished or reformed. He is also appearing in broader coverage of Illinois’ upcoming 2026 primaries, as voters prepare to pick nominees for major statewide races including U.S. Senate.

fec.gov+47

Articles

N5NBC 5 Chicago5 months ago