Judge Joe McGraw and Congressman Eric Sorenson vie for the 17th Congressional District

Images Courtesy of the official campaign websites of both candidates

NORMAL, Ill. – Judge Joe McGraw and Congressman Eric Sorenson are the candidates running for the House of Representatives for Illinois’ 17th Congressional District.

Congressman Sorenson is running for re-election as the democratic candidate, and this is Judge McGraw’s first time running for political office as a republican candidate.

In Congressman Sorenson’s campaign ad, he lists his top priorities in Congress.

“In Congress, I’ll still inform people with facts and science like how we can lower the cost of healthcare and medicine, protect the rights of all people from discrimination, and finally pass real climate change legislation,” Sorenson said.

Per Congressman Sorenson’s official campaign website, he plans to make health care more affordable, accessible, and efficient by expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to fully cover all preexisting conditions and support bringing down the cost of prescription drugs by allowing Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies.

Congressman Sorenson explained some of his top priorities while visiting Illinois State University for a democratic rally, one of these being protecting the rights of all people from discrimination.

“One of the things that we have to make sure is that our rights don’t get taken away,” Sorenson said. “We’ve already seen that with abortion rights… As an LGBTQ person, as the very first gay member of Congress that Illinois has ever had, it is making sure that the extremists don’t come after my rights to marry my partner.”

On the topic of climate change, Congressman Sorenson shared his thoughts on the issue.

“It’s making sure that as we move forward, there’s going to be a bright future for this place,” Sorenson said.  “I’m the only meteorologist in Congress. It means that I’m the only person that’s talking about climate change across the aisle to Republicans, and… behind closed doors republicans will tell me they understand that climate change is real, they understand that climate change is affecting their constituents, but… they can’t do anything because of the top of their own ticket.”

In Judge McGraw’s campaign ad, he explains his plan of action if elected to office.

“Elect a fresh voice. Send Joe McGraw to Congress. Joe will always fight for Illinois families, and he’ll put an end to the radical policies making life worse,” McGraw’s ad said.

Per Judge McGraw’s official campaign website, he will be a strong advocate for the working class by fighting for unions and supporting local apprenticeship programs. Restoring law and order in our neighborhoods and at our border is one of Judge McGraw’s top priorities. He believes soft-on-crime policies only create more victims and empower criminals. Judge McGraw says he’ll “face down the far left, increase funding for our police, and go after the liberal state’s attorneys.”

Congressman Sorenson and Judge McGraw share the priority of the economy. On Judge McGraw’s campaign website, he says he will “Stop the out-of-control spending that is driving inflation and crushing family budgets, and he’ll cut taxes on American factories to bring good-paying jobs home. He’ll defend family farmers and kill the death tax once and for all.”

On Congressman Sorenson’s campaign website, he says his top priority is to “address rising costs that are hurting Illinoisans from the grocery store to the gas pump,” and he is “committed to bringing down out-of-control drug prices, especially for our seniors.”

One of Judge McGraw’s ads against Congressman Sorenson accuses him of exposing children to sexual content.

“Sorenson supports exposing minors to life-altering sex changes, hosted drag events that exposed children to adult sexual content, telling adults to bring cash to tip child performers… look beyond the green screen and you’ll see his values are not our values,” said McGraw’s ad.

On the other hand, Congressman Sorenson’s negative ad makes claims surrounding Judge McGraw’s alleged treatment of a child pornography case.

“A teacher guilty of child pornography, Illinois mandates a six-year minimum sentence, so how could Judge Joe McGraw decide to give him zero jail time?” said Sorenson’s ad.

Congressman Sorenson also makes claims about Judge McGraw’s process of deciding a ruling. The ad features a quote  from Judge Joe McGraw.

“So, I would take the file folder. I would go back in chambers, and I would lay it on the floor. Then I would lay on top of that file, and I’d pray, and pray and pray until God gave me leading what to do, and then I’d come back out and give my ruling,” said Judge Joe McGraw.

Congressman Sorenson and Judge McGraw will be on the ballot among other races pertinent to McLean County.