Tosi Ufodike has officially launched her campaign for the Illinois House of Representatives in District 51, vowing to “fight forward” after a loss to Democrat incumbent Rep. Nabeela Syed in 2024.
Ufodike made it clear she sees 2026 as a winnable opportunity, not just for herself, but for what she calls “the forgotten suburban families” squeezed by high taxes and political gridlock.
“I’m not a career politician,” Ufodike said. “It was my first time running, and we lit a spark in the grassroots movement. I was facing an incumbent. We worked really hard. I raised $100,000, which is a lot for a grassroots candidate. Unfortunately, Pritzker and the unions gave to my opponent, and we were outspent 10 to 1.”
Ufodike previously served on the Ela Township Board, where she says she built a reputation for bipartisanship and practical leadership. In April 2025, she narrowly lost her reelection bid as an independent in a five-way race for four seats, finishing just three votes short of retaining her position.
Despite the challenges she has faced, Ufodike remains firmly committed to continuing her fight for the 51st District.
“I’ve had a lot of wins in my life, so a couple of losses are okay, and I’m going to keep coming back because I’m resilient and because I love this community,” Ufodike said. “This is the community I live in and raise my family in. I have a small business. I’m not going anywhere, and our district deserves good representation—fair representation—and I will fight for every taxpayer, every resident in my district.”
As a mom of two daughters, Ufodike links her work as an entrepreneur, family and community advocate, and policy agenda tightly together.
Her business, the Kiddie Academy of Hawthorn Woods, a local childcare and early education center, plays a central role in her campaign narrative.
“The fire that drives me often starts with how I mother,” Ufodike said in an Aug. 1 press release announcing her candidacy. “Whether I’m supporting my daughters, advocating for quality childcare, or making sure every voice is heard—I lead with the same instincts I parent with: to protect, to uplift, and to speak up when something’s not right.”
Ufodike is positioning herself as the common-sense alternative to what she calls a broken status quo in Springfield.
Syed’s recent vote in favor of House Bill 3247, the controversial “Safe Schools for All” legislation, which prohibits schools from denying enrollment based on immigration status and limits cooperation with immigration enforcement has been the focus of criticism from conservatives.
“The lack of accountability and transparency in Springfield is mind-boggling,” Ufodike said. “We need ethics reform. We need budget transparency. We’re, right now, we have a one-party state, and I think that’s very unfortunate. And you see it playing out. As Pritzker prepares for his 2028 run for president, our state is in a mess. And people are—the business climate is unhappy—and they’re set up, and they have a lot of burdens, and I know it because I live it. And small businesses and families are leaving Illinois.”
Citing her corporate background as a former financial auditor for General Electric, Ufodike emphasized that she would bring financial discipline and transparency to the legislature.
“I have the financial and principal discipline, but I also have the grit of a small business owner,” she said. “And so I think I would do an amazing job in Springfield fighting for every one of my families and people in my district.”
The 51st House District spans parts of Palatine, Inverness, Hoffman Estates, Rolling Meadows, Barrington, Kildeer, Deer Park, Long Grove, Vernon Hills, Lake Zurich and Hawthorn Woods.
The district, once represented by Republican Chris Bos, flipped to the Democrats and Syed after being gerrymandered, with Syed winning 53.3% of the vote (23,775 votes) to Bos’s 46.7% (20,847 votes) in the 2022 election.
Ufodike believes it’s primed for another flip.
“My district is the most winnable seat in the state,” she said.
Highlighting the key to her campaign’s potential success, Ufodike emphasized the issues that truly matter to voters.
“We can really win because again, people care about just common sense issues that affect their cost of living,” she said. She added that her campaign is already gaining traction.
“The feedback has been amazing,” Ufodike said. “People are so excited that I’m here. And they know I’m a fighter and I’m gonna keep fighting for the community.”
Syed, who first took office at age 23 and is now serving her second term, has built a platform focused on progressive issues.
Ufodike says that agenda is out of touch with many in the district, particularly small business owners and working families struggling under rising costs.
“My opponent last cycle got an ‘F’ from the National Business Independent Business Association on her rating because small businesses are just suffering,” she said. “The regulatory environment is a burden on small businesses. Businesses are leaving Illinois.”
Ufodike also criticized the influence of public-sector unions and partisan redistricting, calling for “fair maps” and campaign finance reform.
“When the teachers unions come in and donate to campaigns and try to decide elections,” she said, “I just think it’s unfair to the everyday people that live in the district and want to have a say. Same reason with gerrymandering and the maps. I think that we should really push for elected officials or candidates who are going to fight and say they support fair maps. If you don’t support fair maps, you should not be in office.”
Ufodike’s campaign is now in full swing, with active door-knocking, petitioning, and fundraising.
“I’m running because cost of living shouldn’t be driving working families out of Illinois,” she said. “Every parent deserves a voice in their child’s education, and every taxpayer really deserves transparency and not excuses. So I’m going to fight for children, families, seniors, veterans, animals. I’m a dog mom, and I’m going to fight with integrity and heart.”
