Illinois State Senate District 46 is currently represented by Democrat David Koehler. He is being challenged by Republican Desi Anderson. The redrawn district includes the urban areas of Bloomington and Peoria connected by a band of rural area that runs between the two cities. It was drawn to favor a Democrat candidate.
Koehler is a member of the Illinois State Senate, representing District 46. His current term ends in January 2023. Koehler is running for re-election. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2022. He advanced from the Democratic primary on June 28, 2022.
Dave Koehler, Courtesy of Dave Koehler for State Senate Facebook page.
Koehler was born and reared in South Dakota. He moved to Peoria in 1978. Koehler earned his Bachelor’s from Yankton College in 1971 and his Master’s in Divinity from United Theological Seminary in 1974.
Koehler served as Peoria County Board member from 1982 to 1988. He then served on the Peoria City Council from 1989 to 1997. He is a Past President of the Peoria Area Labor Management Council.
Koehler was appointed to the Senate in December 2006 to fill the term of retiring Senator George Shadid. Koehler serves on the following committees; Agriculture Committee (Vice-Chair) Appropriations Committee, Education Committee, Energy and Public Utilities Committee, Health Committee and Labor Committee.
Koehler’s recent Facebook activity on his campaign page indicates he supports; Illinois’ new and improved bike maps, Illinoisans claiming unclaimed funds from the Illinois Treasurer, union labor and particularly LIUNA, State Police hiring new cadets, supporting the City of Highland Park and rebates for Illinois residents when they purchase electric vehicles.
Anderson is running for election to the Illinois State Senate. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2022. She advanced from the Republican primary on June 28, 2022.
Anderson grew up in the Eastern Bloc of communist Europe in Bulgaria. She was abandoned in the streets as a baby and lived in an orphanage until being adopted by an American family and moved to the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
Desi Anderson, Courtesy of Desifor46IL Facebook page.
She was not allowed to go to school in Bulgaria, and yet after teaching herself English, excelled as a student from grade school in Oregon. Anderson obtained a double major degree at Indiana University.
Anderson has spent time serving with the United Nations and in places including Uganda, Sudan, Geneva, and Guatemala. As a missionary in Guatemala Desi learned Spanish and served the poorest of the poor in Guatemala City. She has served as a U.S. Congressional Intern in Washington D.C.
According to her campaign literature Anderson supports; access to quality childcare for every family, a lower cost of living and lower taxes, safe communities for children to grow up in, empowering law enforcement to combat violent crime, allowing parents to have a voice in education and an end to public corruption.
