A former Chicago Public Schools teacher and U.S. Marine Corps veteran with strong ties to the 19th Ward recently announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.

Kevin Ryan, 33, is running a grassroots campaign aimed at reshaping how politics are conducted both in Illinois and throughout the nation.

Ryan, who grew up in Orland Park and has family residing in the 19th Ward, said he decided to run for office after witnessing the 2024 election and seeing Donald Trump win his second election as president.

“I was completely shocked that people were willing to put Donald Trump back into office and that the Democratic Party was unable to stop it,” Ryan said. “I thought we need a hard reset, and the Democratic Party needs to really redefine itself; I want to be a part of that.”

Ryan launched his campaign in June and has spent the next few months traveling the state to meet constituents.

He said his goal is to push for a constitutional amendment establishing campaign spending limits, a move he believes is essential to restoring trust in government.

“My top priority is to take money out of politics by establishing spending limits. In order to establish spending limits in campaigns, we need to amend the constitution,” Ryan said. “That is my top priority. I know some people may scoff at that and say that is impossible. I say, not only is it possible, but we don’t have a choice. We really need a leader to step up and drive this forward.”

Ryan has been traveling the state in a converted school bus, meeting voters face to face and seeking petition signatures in each county. He said voters have agreed with his push for spending limits.

“I have seen it when I have gone down to these deep Red counties and talk to people about taking money out of politics,” he said. “I always say that I’m living my values. I’m not raising and spending millions of dollars to pay for TV ads. Instead, I have an old school bus that I converted into my mobile campaign office, and I’m driving to all the counties. People can see that.”

So far, he has visited about 70 of the 102 counties in Illinois, engaging Democrats, independents and Republicans alike.

He said voters across the political spectrum are frustrated with divisiveness, and they want change.

“People are fed up,” Ryan said. “They want to go back to some concept of the left and right working together.”

A Marist High School graduate, Ryan grew up with deep ties to the South Side.

He was born at Little Company of Mary Hospital and spent his early childhood in Mt. Greenwood before moving to Orland Park. Ryan, who has relatives in Beverly, credits his Catholic upbringing and Marist education for shaping his moral foundation and sense of service.

“My upbringing taught me that this isn’t about me—it’s about helping your neighbors,” he said. “It’s about living with compassion, forgiveness and knowing that you’re not perfect.”

After graduating from the University of Illinois, Ryan taught in the Chicago Public Schools before serving as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve during deployments overseas.

He later earned graduate degrees from the University of Oxford in diplomacy and Georgetown University in national security, and he worked in the Pentagon and the U.S. Treasury Department.

Ryan said his mix of experience as a teacher and front-line military service gives him a real-world understanding of how policy affects people.

He also sees value in bringing a veteran’s perspective to the Senate, particularly at a time when, he said, the use of military personnel in domestic politics is being dangerously normalized.

Looking ahead, Ryan plans to visit all 102 counties by the end of October, file petitions to get on the ballot, and then participate in candidate forums. He hopes his strategy of personally traveling the state and rejecting big-money politics will resonate with voters seeking a fresh alternative.

Ryan supporters will host a meet-and-greet event on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Blissful Banana Cafe, 15447 S. 94th St., in Orland Park, from 5 to 8 p.m.