Progress Illinois

Fellow candidates in the race to fill the vacant seat in Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District had strong words for Democratic nominee Robin Kelly today, as the polls opened at 6 a.m. and voters are poised to cast their ballots throughout the day.

Republican candidate Paul McKinley called Kelly “insignificant.” Green Party candidate, LeAlan Jones, said she was a “puppet.” Independent candidate, Elizabeth Pahlke, questioned Kelly’s New York roots and suggested the people need a Chicago-native. Marcus Lewis, another Independent candidate, said voting in favor of Kelly was “essentially giving away your vote to an outside billionaire.”

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Freshman lawmaker U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D, IL-10) met with constituents in Gurnee today in an effort to better understand the needs of small business owners in his district.

“If I’m going to represent the district, I have to understand what makes up the district” said Schneider, who has visited 17 small businesses since taking office earlier this year.

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Until urban communities become accountable for their children and actions, gun violence is always going to be hot in Chicago, said LeAlan Jones, one of the six candidates on Tuesday’s ballot in the race to fill Jesse Jackson Jr.’s empty seat in Congress.

Green Party candidate Jones lives in the South Shore neighborhood. He said he often sees children walking to school alone in the morning.

“How is it that momma can’t wake up or daddy can’t wake up to go with their kid to school, and they don’t even have a job,” Jones said at last night’s 2nd congressional district election forum sponsored by the Chicago South Side and Far South Suburban chapters of the NAACP. Read more »