Illinois’ 12th Congressional District – where Brendan Kelly is making a spirited run at a Republican incumbent – is one of the best hopes the Democrats have of picking up a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6.
The district – all or parts of Belleville, Cahokia, Carbondale, Collinsville, East St. Louis, Granite City, Herrin, Marion, Mt. Vernon, O’Fallon, Shiloh and Swansea in the Metro East – currently is represented by a Republican from Murphysboro, U.S. Rep. Mike Bost. He voted for the tax overhaul bill that endangered crucial safety net programs to further lighten the tax responsibility of the wealthiest Americans and voted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act with its many consumer protections.
As Kelly pointed out to us, Bost has a F rating from the NAACP.
His Democratic challenger is the state’s attorney for St. Clair County and a lawyer and former naval officer. The American spoke with Brendan Kelly going into his final week of campaigning.
The St. Louis American: You were in the first round of endorsements from Obama. How did that come to pass? Did you have any personal contact with him?
Brendan Kelly: We’re working every day to restore faith in Southern Illinois. I’m committed to fighting the powerful few, and ensuring that our leaders are listening to people in Southern Illinois — not big donors like Big Pharma, Big Banks, and billionaires like Bruce Rauner. President Obama and I share the same vision. We believe that our country is one of hope and change — a country where all people, not just corporations and the wealthy, have a say in who we are and what our future looks like.
The St. Louis American: What effect did the Obama have on voter enthusiasm?
Brendan Kelly: Getting the president’s endorsement was an incredible honor. When I started this campaign we knew it was going to be a dogfight against Mike Bost, and to have President Obama endorse us so early on was an incredible testament to the type of race we were running and our vision for Southern Illinois. The response and the enthusiasm was immediate.
The St. Louis American: Was there any downside to the Obama endorsement?
Brendan Kelly: As a Cards fan, I don’t normally accept endorsements from White Sox fans, but when it’s the president …
The St. Louis American: You are trying to unseat an incumbent Republican. Why do you think the district might turn against him for a Democrat?
Brendan Kelly: Bost has a F rating from the NAACP. To me, that signals that he is not treating every community equally. His work in Washington reflects that. He’s given tax breaks to the wealthy and voted to gut health care and take away protections from those with pre-existing conditions. Congressman Bost has shown himself beholden to the powerful few. It is time for a leader who works for US, not Washington fat cats. He just doesn’t listen to folks in Southern Illinois anymore.
The St. Louis American: Your district is very diverse. How critical are black voters to your campaign?
Brendan Kelly: I’m going to try to get as many votes as I can across the district and certainly won’t take black voters for granted. I’ve traveled to every county in the district, and I’ve heard the same thing over and over again: folks in Southern Illinois, whether black or white, just want to be listened to. Mike Bost doesn’t do that. He’s left our community behind.
The St. Louis American: What get out plans and strategies do you have for black parts of your district on Election Day?
Brendan Kelly: Earning your votes begins long before Election Day. For me it began 15 years ago.
My first job after serving in the U.S. Navy was answering phones for Illinois state Rep. Wyvetter Younge in East St. Louis. She was the first black woman elected to the Illinois Legislature. Rep. Younge helped her people who were left behind by a system that serves the Bank of America instead of the people of America. I’ve carried the lessons I learned in her office with me. We can make black families and our communities more prosperous and successful – but it’ll take good policy, careful listening, and hard work both at home and in Washington.
During this election I’ve been out knocking on doors, hosting meet and greets and getting our message out in the community since July of 2017. You can also vote now — early voting continues until November 6.
The most important thing is that everyone has to vote. I don’t have the power to change anything. No individual person has the power to change our future. It’s going to be your power that decides this election and save Southern Illinois.
