Will County Gazette

Dr. Dominick Stella wants to heal Illinois, but he has to get in office to do it.

“As a board-certified cardiologist, I aim to achieve nothing short of perfection every day,” Stella said in a video announcing his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL). “After graduating from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, I’ve spent my entire career diagnosing problems, providing solutions, and ensuring patients leave in much better condition than when they first came to me.”

Dominick Stella, M.D. | (Facebook)

Stella, a fellow of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, spent nine years treating veterans at the Edward Hines Jr. V.A. Hospital in Hines, Illinois.

“It has been an honor in my career to give back to our military,” he said. “It will also be my honor and pleasure to serve you as your next U.S. congressman. I will stop at nothing to achieve an excellent remedy for jobs, better health care and improved education for everyone that lives in my district, in my state, as well as in the rest of our great country.

The cardiologist says he has plans that will improve Illinois on issues including the economy and jobs, education, foreign policy, health care, immigration, national security and criminal justice, and taxes and spending, according to his “Stella for Congress” website.

“In my medical profession, I’ve seen more than my fair share of bad situations,” Stella said. “Congress is defaulting to party lines and getting their own constituents.”

Stella argues that government must work with businesses, not against them, in order to strengthen the economy, and student should have to graduate from college with too many loan burdens before they get a chance to pay them back with a full-time job.

“The absolute results I set out to achieve in medicine will be no different in Congress,” Stella said. “I promise to improve every situation that comes my way, bringing jobs and infrastructure to our district. And like parents say to kids, ‘Be sure to leave it better than how you found it,’ I plan to do the same with our district and Washington, D.C.”

According to Stella’s website, he believes comprehensive immigration reform would come with securing the border to prevent illegal activities such as terrorism.

He also hopes to implement a simpler tax code across the population.

“Although the wealthy will always pay a higher share of taxes, the system must be just and encourage investment in the economy rather than simply siphoning money off to the government,” he said. “In addition, the death tax should be repealed.”

Ultimately, Stella, who was raised in Darien, wants to change the “politics as usual” situation in the state.

“I look forward to our conversations, your feedback and your vote,” he said. “Help me usher our state and nation into a full recovery.”

The 11th Congressional District of covers parts of Cook, Du Page, Kane, Kendall and Will counties, and all or parts of  Aurora, Bolingbrook, Darien, Joliet, Montgomery, Naperville, Lisle, Downers Grove, New Lenox, Shorewood and Woodridge.