We believe voters who care about this country and its well-being should be focused on disrupting one or both of the Republican majorities in Congress that enable and protect this dangerous, disreputable president. Illinois’ 12th Congressional District is one of the best hopes we have of picking up a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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, including forcing insurers to cover people with preexisting health conditions. He has to go.
His Democratic challenger is Brendan Kelly, the state’s attorney for St. Clair County and a lawyer and former naval officer. As state’s attorney, he has worked to harness grants for public housing, as well as trauma-informed education and policing. Kelly has campaigned in the district’s black communities and received a campaign visit from none other than Congressman John Lewis (D-Georgia), who asked voters to send Kelly to him as a colleague. We agree. We strongly endorse Brendan Kelly for Illinois’ 12th Congressional District.
