2 weeks Ago By ROB STROUD [email protected]
The Democrat, who resides in Matteson in Cook County, traveled a bit farther south Thursday afternoon to speak at a town hall meeting in Eastern Illinois University's Phipps Auditorium. Kelly said her trip to Coles County, which is represented in Congress by Republican Reps. Mike Bost of Murphysboro and Mary Miller of Hindsboro, was prompted by House Democratic leadership asking its members to hold town halls throughout their home states.
"Whether you are a Democrat, Republican or an independent, whether you vote or don't vote, you can have your voices be heard," Kelly said. The Coles County and the EIU Democrats hosted Thursday's town hall. Kelly and co-speaker Edwin Yohnka, director of communications and public policy with ACLU Illinois, fielded several questions from attendees about how their organizations are responding to actions of President Donald Trump's administration.
Kelly, who was first elected in 2013, said her priorities in the House include blocking potential cuts to Medicaid. She said her district has 753,000 residents and 300,000 of them would be directly affected by such cuts. Sophomore Megan Fox, who is president of the EIU Democrats, noted that the university's administration has reported that 11 international students there have had their visas revoked.
Fox asked, "As students, as community members, what can we do?" Kelly responded that concerned community members should call their senators and representatives. "They need to hear from a lot of people. Put the pressure on them.
Don't let them off the hook," Kelly said. Yohnka said as hundreds of international students across the United States lose their visas, those who are concerned should demand some dialog from their local university administrations. He said universities can be almost complicit by not articulating the reasons they are being given for the visa revocations.
Asked if Democrats are being aggressive enough, Kelly said they have varying beliefs and temperaments. Kelly said she can't be crazy with anger every day and has found that she needs to periodically take a break from watching the news. "I know people are saying we are being too nice, but we are fighting.
We are all over this country doing town hall meetings, tele town hall meetings," Kelly said. "Some of us are a little more rowdy than others, but it takes all kinds to be a Democrat." Bost and Miller have not have held town halls in recent months in Coles County.
Miller's staff did not respond to messages from the JG-TC about Kelly's town hall meeting. Bost said via a statement that town halls across the country have, unfortunately, become a magnet for organized protests and partisan activist groups. "I recognize there’s a lot of division in the country right now; we’re dealing with some weighty issues," Bost said.
"That’s why we need to hear from our constituents — Republicans, Democrats, and independents — without anyone feeling like they’ll be shouted down or embarrassed by the other side." Bost said he welcomes his constituents exercising their First Amendment rights on telephone town halls, on social media, or by visiting or calling his office and expressing their support or disagreement. He said, "That's what our representative form of government is all about.
" "I can confidently say Central Illinois’ values are more closely aligned with the values and voting records of Mary Miller and Mike Bost than they are with Chicago Democrats," Bost said. "We know our districts, we communicate with our people, and we represent their interests in Congress." During Thursday's town hall, Kelly said she graduated from Bradley University in Peoria and remains actively involved with her alma mater and its community.
Kelly, who has offices in Danville and the Chicago area, said she has spent a lot of time talking with constituents in her district's urban, suburban and rural areas, which include approximately 1,500 farms. "My philosophy is that whether you are urban, suburban or rural, most people want a job and a roof over their head, they want healthcare, they want a good education for their kids," Kelly said. "People bring up the same concerns and it's around a lot of those kitchen table issues.
" Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton becomes first Democrat to launch bid for Durbin's Senate seat Town halls outside of the 2nd District could also raise Kelly's profile as a possible candidate for U.
S. Sen. Dick Durbin's position now that he has announced he will not seek re-election.
Kelly did not comment on this prospect during Thursday's town hall but referred to Durbin as a friend and mentor when asked about his retirement in 18 months. "It's a big loss," Kelly said. "He has been a great senator.
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