Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Kelly won the vacated seat of former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Now, she faces the challenge of representing the 2nd District.
Robin Kelly will be the next Congressional representative of the 2nd District, according to unofficial results. With only 6 precincts left to report, Kelly stands with over 55,000 votes, or 80 percent of the race. Republican opponent Paul McKinley follows with less than 15 percent. Kelly told the Chicago Tribune her first priority is to focus on constituent services and restore district offices. “Yes, we've seen some tough times and some setbacks. I know for some of you, your faith in your leaders is a little shaken," Kelly said. "I thank you for that and I promise I will work very hard not to let you down." Kelly's victory comes only months after scandle-ridden former 2nd District Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned from his postion while …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Obama referred to Kelly as a "tireless champion" of the people in a statement endorsing the 2nd District candidate.
President Barack Obama is endorsing 2nd District candidate Robin Kelly in the race to fill the vacated seat of defamed former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. According to Obama, like-minded partners such as Kelly are needed in the House of Representatives to help “continue moving America forward.” “Robin is a tireless champion for building small businesses, supporting middle-class families, protecting our seniors, improving transportation and expanding access to health care,” President Obama said. “I share Robin’s passionate advocacy to end gun violence with common sense solutions because like her, I believe families impacted by gun violence—especially in my home city of Chicago—deserve a vote.” In a statement by Kelly, she refers to President …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Gun control was the epicenter of the 2nd District primary, and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is on the winning side.
More than $2.2 million was spent to ensure victory for the staunchly anti-gun Robin Kelly in last night’s 2nd District primary special election. The money came from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s personal Super PAC, Independence USA. His ultimate intent, according to the New York Times, is to establish a sizeable national base of anti-gun representatives in anticipation of supporting upcoming gun legislation. “As Congress considers the president’s gun package, voters in Illinois have sent a clear message: we need common-sense gun legislation now,” Bloomberg said. His words align with the crux of Kelly’s victory speech. "(Voters) sent a message that tells the NRA that their days of holding our country hostage are coming to an end,” …
Friday, February 22, 2013
Mosby explained his decision to endorse Kelly in an open letter.
Editor's Note: This letter was written before Sen. Toi Hutchinson dropped out of the election. Being relatively new to the world of politics, this has been one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make thus far. For months, I have been taking copious notes and analyzing the race for the 2nd Congressional District. As a Trustee of Prairie State Community College District #515, I have had the honor to work with members of Congress as I have advocated for supporting community colleges. I take my responsibility as a guardian of the public trust very seriously and I owe a debt of gratitude to my supporters. As a residents of the 2nd Congressional District, I hosted a debate at my alma mater Rich Central High School because I wanted the…
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Another candidate has bowed out of the 2nd Congressional District election.
Just one day after state Sen. Toi Hutchinson dropped out of the 2nd District election and supported Robin Kelly, Democrat Patrick Brutus has decided to do the same. Brutus's campaign released a statement Monday, announcing the candidate's decision to withdraw from the race. "Even though my platform resonates with constituents who are looking for a new leader that will put their needs first, work with them in a collaborative manner and make the creation of jobs a priority, the realization that victory was unattainable began to be clearer as Election Day approached," Brutus said. Brutus went on to endorse Kelly in his statement, adding that the 56-year-old former state representative "is well positioned to win this race, has executed a …
Sunday, February 17, 2013
The state senator now pledges to put her support behind Robin Kelly for Jesse Jackson Jr.'s former seat.
Toi Hutchinson announced Sunday that she has withdrawn from the race for the 2nd Congressional District seat, and will be backing Robin Kelly to oppose former congresswoman Debbie Halvorson. "Robin is a friend, and has captured momentum in pulling our community together," said Hutchinson in a release. "I am simply unwilling to risk playing a role going forward that could result in dividing our community at time when we need unity more than ever. In the wake of horrendous gun related crimes all across our country, I agree with Robin that we need to stand together to fight gun violence, but Debbie Halvorson been (sic) wrong headed in her refusal to moderate her views on banning dangerous assault weapons." Hutchinson recently came under …
Monday, February 11, 2013
The announcement came at a Feb. 10 press conference at the Little Black Pearl Art Center in Chicago.
At least one 2nd District candidate had a good Sunday afternoon, as two congressmen announced their support from Robin Kelly at a press conference in Chicago. Congressmen Bobby Rush and Danny Davis added their names to a growing list of elected officials supporting Kelly. “Robin Kelly has the kind of pragmatism that you need to get results in Washington, while never compromising her beliefs like many do," Davis said. "If we are going to stop the NRA in their tracks, and make our communities safe again, Robin Kelly is the right woman for the job.” Rush and Davis echoed each other, both expressing confidence that she would support President Barack Obama in fighting gun violence. “I am honored to have the endorsement of Congressmen Rush and…
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
The endorsements came just one day after Kelly's former boss announced her support for another candidate,
Three state Senators endorsed 2nd District congressional candidates Robin Kelly Tuesday, according to a press release from her campaign. State senators Donne Trotter, Kwame Raoul and Mattie Hunter have all announced their support for Kelly. "Robin Kelly is my choice for Congress because she has a clear vision for our future," Trotter said. "Robin has personally been through the economic struggles that too many are facing right now, and come out the other side. We can count on Robin Kelly to fight for us every single day because she knows firsthand what it is like, and that is why I am endorsing her." The endorsements come on the heels of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announcing her endorsement of Kelly's rival State Sen. Toi…
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
One of the frontrunners of the race to fill Jesse Jackson Jr.'s vacated seat is taking a strong stance on this controversial subject. In today's Patch Exclusive, we learn more about Kelly's key issues: gun violence and economic development.
On Friday, Jan. 25, I met Robin Kelly at an office in downtown Chicago. We talked about a number of things including the possibility of a woman representing the 2nd Congressional District for the first time, ever. It didn’t take long for Kelly to give a clear picture of her priorities going into this upcoming election. Visit Robin Kelly's candidate profile on Patch to watch the extended video of the interview. Gun Violence By now, it's no secret that Kelly has made gun control a massive focus of her campaign. To sum it up, I've copied and pasted her recently unveiled "Five Point Pledge" as it appears on her campaign website: Economic Development Kelly says economic development of the 2nd District is also of concern to her. From getting …
Monday, January 28, 2013
The 2nd District race is heating up as one candidate is calling on State Sen. Toi Hutchinson and former Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson to release questionnaires from previous elections.
Robin Kelly has called on former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson and State Sen. Toi Hutchinson to release National Rifle Association questionnaires they filled out in past elections, according to a press release from Kelly's campaign. “I am calling on my opponents to release their previous NRA questionnaires so that the people of the 2nd Congressional District know what promises they have made to the NRA, and how they earned their ‘A’ ratings,” Robin Kelly said in the release. “I earned a lifetime ‘F’ rating from the NRA and I could not be more proud of that fact. The voters deserve to know how Toi and Debbie both earned ‘A’s’ from the pro-gun lobby, which is notoriously known for only issuing ‘A’s’ to its very strongest supporters." Kelly's …
Dinkum
11:16 am on Thursday, April 11, 2013
A fair point on JJJ. Yet often when someone is "caught" doing something illegal one wonders what else was going on. My guess is prosecutors agreed not to pursue additional indictments IF he pled guilty to the disclosed offenses. more ›