(The Center Square) – One of the closest congressional races in Illinois appears to be for the 17th district.
The district, which was held by U.S. Rep. Cherri Bustos before she announced she wasn’t seeking another term, was redrawn by Democrats in what some say was a blatant case of gerrymandering, but the move may backfire.
Bustos, D-Moline, is backing Democrat Eric Sorenson, a former TV weatherman. He faces Republican Esther Joy King, an Army veteran who narrowly lost to Bustos in 2020.
King said her focus is on crime and the economy, as Democratic spending policies are hurting American families.
“We need accountability for this one-party control that is implementing policies that are costing every single family more than $6,000 a year right now with no end in sight,” said King.
Sorenson is a first-time candidate with name recognition in the Rockford area for being on television. He also would be the first openly gay member of the Illinois congressional delegation if he’s elected. There was no response from repeated attempts for comment from his campaign.
During a recent debate at Bradley University, both candidates were asked if there was an issue that they could agree with the opposing political party. Sorenson said there’s common ground on securing the southern U.S. border.
“We need to make sure that we know every person that’s crossing the border, and we have to secure it,” said Sorenson. “That also means that we’re securing the ability for migrant farm workers to achieve the visas that they need.”
“We have to support our communities here with resources to help settle immigrants, help them get plugged in to find jobs, so that they can contribute to the community,” said King.
The 17th Congressional District encompasses northwest Illinois, and includes Rockford, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal and the Quad Cities.
