Contrasting styles were on display Saturday morning when two of the three Democratic candidates running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin appeared before approximately 100 people at the Oak Park Public Library in an event organized by the Democratic Party of Oak Park.
Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton spoke, but the third major candidate, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who was also invited, called to cancel the night before the event. Krishnamoorthi, a prodigious fundraiser, has raised the most money in the campaign thus far and is the only candidate who has run extensive television advertising.
Both candidates appeared separately before the crowd. They first spoke for a little less than 10 minutes and then answered questions for about 20 minutes.
Kelly, who some have said is too nice for politics, spoke first and was calm and thoughtful. She stressed her experience as an experienced congresswoman while Stratton was much more animated and fiery, pitching herself as a fighter.
“We need fighters in Washington who will stand and go to the mat fighting for the people in Illinois,” Stratton said. “I want to be that fighter for you.”
Stratton suggested that times demand more than normal politics
“People have told me I’m not looking for someone to go along just to get along, nobody wants to see that,” Stratton said. “But I’m not looking for the same old, same old. People are looking for bold, courageous leadership and they’re looking for people to not only tell us what we’re fighting against but what we’re fighting for.”
While Kelly stressed her experience in Congress and her role in passing legislation, Stratton said that the current situation demands much more than that.
“I don’t see my role as your next United States senator just to pass legislation, although that’s a big part of the role,” Stratton said. “I do not see my role as your next United States senator to just have a bully pulpit and to speak with moral clarity although I believe that that is my role, I also see my role to push our party to be courageous and bold.”
While Kelly stressed the need to work with Republicans and craft legislation that can pass, Stratton said she doesn’t want Democrats to compromise in the upcoming showdown and advocated shutting down the government if Republicans refuse to budge.
“This is not a normal budget showdown because we don’t have a normal president,” Stratton said. “And if the president and congressional Republicans are not going to come to the table in good faith and as far as I’m concerned if they’re going to strip away health care and they’re going to strip away funding for critical federal services and think we’re going to compromise I say shut it down.”
Kelly, who since 2013 has represented the 2nd Congressional District, which runs from the south side of Chicago all the way to Danville, stressed her experience not only in Congress but as a state legislator, along with stints in administrative positions in state, county and municipal government.
“I know the job, I’m enjoying the job, I know how to build relationships. I know you have to resist now. I know how to work across the aisle,” Kelly said. “I’ve been in Congress 12 ½ years, I’ve only been in the majority for four years of those 12 ½ years so if you can’t work with people that are different than you, you’re not going to get things done. And I think the public wants us to get things done.”
Kelly said she is ready for the job.
“When Dick Durbin leaves we need someone that can hit the ground running and ladies and gentlemen I am that person,” Kelly said. “I have built relationships in the House of course but also in the Senate. I have worked with Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to get things done.”
Kelly also noted that people want Democrats to resist and said that she is ready to do that, but said that she will remain true to her moral compass.
“They resist us to resist,” Kelly said. “I don’t give up my values for anyone and I don’t give up my joy for anyone. I love my job.”
Both candidates spoke mostly in generalities, as most candidates do.
Although Stratton pitched herself as a fighter she also said that she has worked as a mediator and said during her short stint as a state representative she made it a point to get to know her Republican colleagues and worked with them to get 10 bills passed.
Both candidates seemed to impress the audience but in different ways.
“Of these two I thought that Juliana looked like she would be the stronger fighter,” said Oak Parker Gene Armstrong. “Robin might be the stronger legislator but I’m kind of the view that right now we need a stronger fighter.”
Gail Ginsberg, of Oak Park, thought the event was eye opening. Going in, she knew the most about Krishnamoorthi due to his extensive television advertising but said both Stratton and Kelly impressed her.
“I thought it was a terrific, terrific event today. Very sorry that Raja Krishnamoorthi wasn’t here,” Ginsberg said. “It would have been so important to see him in contrast to the two candidates that we heard from, but I thought they were both terrific. They both impressed me in different ways.”
Bob Skolnik is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.