Kankakee Times

Former state legislator and gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives is comparing State Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) to vice presidential candidate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz—both of whom support equipping boys' bathrooms at school with tampon dispensers. 

In a statement to the Kankakee Times, Ives, a West Point graduate and former Army captain who now serves as CEO of Breakthrough Ideas, said both Joyce and Walz have supported such measures in public schools. 

“Just like Tim Walz supports tampons in the boys bathrooms as Governor of Minnesota, Patrick Joyce voted to mandate that all bathrooms in public schools with students in 4th grade or higher have tampons in the boys bathrooms in Illinois,” Ives said.  

Joyce was also one of 37 “yes” votes for a comprehensive sex education in public schools. 

The bill imposed a statewide curriculum that includes teachings on gender fluidity, puberty and sexual practices for young children, which some view as indoctrination rather than education. 

Critics such as Ives note “progressives” have advocated for the K-12 sex education curriculum that prioritizes progressive ideology over traditional values, raising concerns among parents across the political spectrum. 

“The bill adopts the highly controversial National Sex Education Standards which are not ‘national standards’ but rather standards written by radical pro-LGBTQ and abortion groups,” Ives said.  

Joyce is facing challenger Philip Nagel, of Braidwood, in the Nov. 5 election. Nagel is a former U.S. Air Force member who has lived in the community for the past 20 years where he is raising his children. 

“I believe the people of Illinois know what’s best for their family and not the Government. Unfortunately, Springfield believes that the people exist to serve the Government and not the other way around. Simply put, the government works for us and in November they will finally understand just how fed up Illinoisans are with Democrat policy as we clean house in Springfield,” Nagel previously told Kankakee Times. 

Nagel recently released an ad noting the connection between Walz and Joyce.

Walz, who recently passed a law mandating free menstrual supplies in Minnesota schools, is under fire for allegedly requiring schools to provide these supplies in boys' bathrooms, drawing criticism from the Trump campaign. 

"Tampon Tim put tampons in boys' bathrooms, wants men to play in women's sports, and supports gender transitions for minors," Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told CBS News.

Joyce, who has held the 40th State Senate District since 2019 similarly voted to pass HB156 which reads, "Provides that menstrual hygiene products shall be made available in bathrooms of every school building that are open for student use in grades 4 through 12 during the regular school day."

The 40th Senate District is located in parts of Will, Kankakee and Cook counties and includes the communities of The 40th district, located partly in the Chicago area, includes all or parts of Bourbonnais, Bradley, Chicago Heights, Coal City, Essex, Flossmoor, Frankfort, Glenwood, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Joliet, Kankakee, Manhattan, Matteson, Mokena, Monee, New Lenox, Park Forest, Richton Park, Steger, University Park and Wilmington.