Races for various elected offices in Illinois are heating up after Democratic campaign ads prompt allegations of racism.
Desi Anderson, the Republican House candidate for Illinois’ 91st District, accused incumbent state Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, of sending out altered campaign mailers. The images, Anderson says, are altered to make her appear white. Anderson is a Bulgarian native. According to reports, Chung has denied these allegations.
Illinois GOP Chairman Kathy Salvi said Democrats have proven time and again there is no line they won’t cross to defame Republicans.
“The truth is that Desi Anderson and Republicans up and down the ballot represent an end to the unchecked power of Democrats and the culture of corruption they’ve built in this state,” said Salvi.
In Anderson’s recent statement she said, “please don’t copy and paste my head on a white body.”
“I am brown and I have a heritage that I am proud of,” she said.
In a social media post, the McLean County GOP echoed Salvi saying, “to photoshop a person’s body to hide their race should be a huge red flag as to the integrity and honesty of the candidate.”
“Illinois families are fed up and Democrats will do or say anything to put down rising leaders like Desi,” said Salvi.
Chung could not be reached for comment. Chung proponents say the images of Anderson used in Chung campaign materials are the same ones Anderson uses on social media and in her fundraising flyers.
Also heating up is an Illinois congressional race after incumbent U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, suggested his supporters are different from his opponent’s supporters.
“The picture he has of my campaign, that was taken in a parking lot on a cold day at a get out the vote rally in Freeport, Illinois,” said retired Judge Joe McGraw, Sorensen’s Republican challenger. “If you know anything about the area [demographically] it’s blue-collar, Democratic area and how are those people any less constituents than his?”
McGraw questioned if Sorensen would also say farmers aren’t part of the district because no one in that specific photo was on a combine. He accused Sorensen of engaging in “class warfare.”
“I think he’s insinuating there’s a class difference or a race difference, but I think those suggestions fall flat because I have put on 50,000 miles traveling the district,” said McGraw. “I have spoken at African-American churches, unions, and there is not an amalgamation of who is a 17th congressional district voter. It is a whole range of people.”
Sorensen could not be reached for comment. In the same social media post Sorensen accused McGraw of using his position as a judge to help his political friend’s son get out of jail for a sex crime.
McGraw denied that he did that and explained that in that instance Sorensen is referencing he asked both the prosecution and the defense if he should recuse himself. Both parties agreed McGraw’s acquaintance with the defendant would not jeopardize his ability to preside over the case.
“It’s not likely someone finds out after I rule that, ‘oh he knows so and so.’ That’s false,” said McGraw. “Within the two years before the case was resolved, one of the key witnesses recanted and became uncooperative, and they couldn’t prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.”
McGraw explained the prosecution went for lesser charges after the witness recanted.
McGraw is a retired judge and served for over 20 years as the criminal division judge in the 17th Judicial District.
The election is Nov. 5. Early voting is underway.
