Illinois voters speak to ABC News on the economy, immigration and their other 2024 issues

(CHICAGO) — As the Democratic National Convention kicked off in Chicago, four Illinois voters spoke with ABC News about what issues are most important to them leading up to the 2024 election.

Seated around a table at Green Door Tavern, one of the city’s oldest, they discussed how they view the state of the economy, immigration and health care. A recent ABC News poll found those three issues ranked high in importance for U.S. adults this cycle, with 89% of respondents listing the economy as their top issue.

For Edgar Diaz, a 43-year-old Chicago resident and moderate voter, a top concern was the cost of living.

“I believe that the middle-working class were the engine of the economy but when we have millions of folks that are unable to afford health care, housing, child care, I mean that holds back our economy,” he said. “So I want to make sure that those are addressed, and that our folks that are working to achieve that, that their voices are heard, that they’re that they’re supported, and also making sure that you know their their work is valued for this economy as well too.”

Diaz said he believed Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will protect workers, and it was a major reason why he plans to vote for them in this race.

Valerie Jencks, a Democrat who is also supporting the Harris-Walz ticket, agreed with Diaz that workers are the backbone of the country and should be taken care of.

“We have gotten to this place where we’re labeling and categorizing so many different things, and it’s these people against these people. And if I give something over here, then I’m taking away something over here. And that simply is not the case,” she said.

“We need to get back to recognizing that we are one country with a variety of people and a variety of needs,” Jencks continued. “Helping everybody with health care is not socialism. Providing everybody with housing is not socialism. What we’re talking about is providing for the basic needs of human beings who are members of one country, and preserving that and the issues that support those ideas are absolutely fundamentally what I believe in.”

David Spada, a conservative Republican who will back his party’s candidates this cycle, jumped in to question government resources spent on immigrants coming to the country while many Americans struggle financially.

“But how is it fair that people are coming to this country getting free health care, whereas people who work hard and have jobs and can’t afford health insurance have to basically struggle and have enormous doctor bills?” he said.

A lively exchange ensued between the voters on immigration, which Spada said he believed was a top issue for most Americans along with the economy and safety.

Grace Walters, 25, said she will likely support Harris and Walz in November because of their willingness to address constituent concerns and adapt their political stances.

While Walters expressed disagreement with their approach to international issues, specifically the Israel-Gaza war and military aid for Israel, she said they are more aligned on other key issues for her.

“But as far as things like same-sex marriage protection and abortion rights and a woman’s right to choose and all of those things, I think the only people that I see really talking about that and caring about that are Harris and Walz,” she said.