What?! Phone bank? What's going on here? Look, again, my North Korea comments were not meant to attack North Korea or Kathleen Sebelius! It was just... uh... errr.. Difficult to deal with HHS!
Not too long ago, Democratic challenger to Rep. John Shimkus in Illinois 15th Congressional District, Eric Thorsland, appeared at the Collinsville Township Democrats Holiday Dinner as reported in my previous diary on Jan 15th:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Now it appears Thorsland's campaign is well underway and ready for any volunteers to assist in word of mouth.
On February 9th at the Champaign County Democratic Headquarters at 1 pm, Eric Thorsland and his campaign will be hosting a phone bank for any of you who live in or nearby IL-15 to particpate in. Details of the event are as follows:
http://ericforillinois.com/
Volunteer Opportunity
The campaign will be hosting a Mailing Party and Phone Banking event at the Champaign County Democratic Headquarters on Feb 9th at 1pm.
We will be stuffing envelopes and if you have a phone you wish to use, calling Strong Democrats in the Illinois 15th to tell them about the race.
We will have snacks and refreshments. Come out and have some fun and meet our campaign staff.
For details email Eric at ericfor1@yahoo.com or Carol cec0127@gmail.com
Here's some insight from the News Galette (based in East Central Illinois) on Eric Thorsland's candidacy:
http://www.news-gazette.com/...
CHAMPAIGN — Eric Thorsland, a rural Mahomet Democrat, said Thursday that he hopes to take on U.S. Rep. John Shimkus and his $860,000 campaign fund in next year's general election.
Thorsland said he would run in the heavily Republican 15th Congressional District, which covers 33 of Illinois' 102 counties and runs from Hoopeston on the northeast south to the Ohio River and west to Shimkus' hometown of Collinsville.
In East Central Illinois, the 15th District includes much of Champaign County outside of Champaign-Urbana, a portion of Ford County including Paxton, and all of Vermilion, Douglas, Coles, Edgar, Shelby and Moultrie counties.
"He is certainly welcoming as much money as possible," Thorsland said of Shimkus, who has been in Congress since 1997. "I understand completely that I'll be going up against a huge war chest with my teeny little squirt gun of funds, but we will do our best to make sure that everyone in Illinois 15 knows who I am, what I'm about and we'll see what we get from there."
If you're looking for a fighter on women's rights issues, Thorsland's your guy:
http://www.news-gazette.com/...
"I find it interesting that very conservative people are very pro-personal freedom until it comes to certain issues. I believe in personal freedom as well, and I think that at some point that is between a woman and her family, a woman and herself, and a woman and her doctor," Thorsland said. "Now there are qualifiers to all of that, but Miss Michael has a one-step approach and that is none."
Eric Thorsland's referring to Angela Michael, who is an anti-abortion activist Democrat also running in IL-15 along with him.
He also is not shy of admitting his views of Congressman Shimkus who he doesn't view in a positive light at all, as well as commenting of the heavy influence of campaign fundraising on Representatives in Congress:
http://www.news-gazette.com/...
Thorsland, meanwhile, hit Shimkus for abandoning his pledge to limit himself to six terms in the House, and for rigidly following the House Republican agenda.
"He made a promise when he started, to limit himself to six terms. And despite his repeated trips and his endless experience, he has a reputation as no more than a mediocre politician," Thorsland said. "He seems very comfortable to wade in the shallow end of the pool, not making waves, not rocking the boat. And more than 90 percent of the time he votes with his caucus."
Thorsland called for "tweaking" of two-year House terms — something that would require a Constitutional amendment — and "some limiting of terms after that."
"I think the two-year cycle itself is too short. You begin to fundraise for the next campaign the day after your party, and it goes on from there," Thorsland said.
Here's also some of the issues Thorsland is fighting for in his run for Congress:
http://www.ericforillinois.com/...
Representation of the people
Preserve the voice of the People
Reduce the influence of PAC money
Protect workers' rights
Maintain our food security
Keep it MADE IN AMERICA
If you're looking to get involved in Eric Thorsland's campaign for Congress in IL-15, links are below:
Eric Thorsland for Congress:
http://www.ericforillinois.com/
Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/...