Who do you believe are the most progressive candidates?

[Padme Amidala]

I belong to an organization that is planning to endorse candidates. For Congressional canididates, the issues the organization wants to know about are:

1) Immediate withdrawal from Iraq



2) Iran and other countries targeted for future wars



3) Lowering the voting age



4) Yucca Mountain


5) The Death Penalty


7) Free trade

We are asking candidates for governor their positions on

1) Corporate cleanup of their own waste

2) The environment

3) The Death Penalty

4) Lowering the voting age

Some of the Illinois candidates have responded with some great answers. A lot have not responded. If you have any information on where any candidates stand on these issues, please post the information.

[Gary Kleppe]

1. My picks:

My issues aren't quite the same as yours, but anyhow....

Congressional, by district, not including candidates with no Democratic opposition:

• 1: Not sure. Both Rush and Jackson seem pretty good.
  
• 2: Jesse Jackson, Jr. Outstanding record; opposed Iraq war, defended voting rights; co-sponsor of single-payer bill.
  
• 3: John Sullivan. I'm not sure how progressive he is, but he can't be any worse than Lipinski.
  
• 5: Johnny Hap. A longshot, but progressive on all the issues, and Emanuel deserves to be thrown out, if only for using his influence as DCCC chair to promote Republicans running as Democrats.
  
• 6: Christine Cegelis. Good all-around progressive with strong community support. Lindy Scott is also good on most issues, but Cegelis has the stronger organization.
  
• 7: Danny Davis. Again, has an outstanding record; fought against racial profiling and police brutality and for the rights of ex-prisoners. Opposed CAFTA and the Iraq war; single-payer co-sponsor.
  
• 10: Not sure. I watched the video interviews with Lee Goodman. They both seem like decent candidates, but neither really struck me as outstanding.
  
• 13: Bill Reedy. Supports single payer and wants the troops "out yesterday." Also has a better organization than his opponent.
  
• 14: Ruben Zamora. Progressive on all the issues, a candidate of rock-solid integrity with strong connections to the community.
  
• 19: Again, not sure. Roberts is very anti-establishment, but he's reputed to be connected to LaRouche's organization which should worry any sane person. I don't know much about Stover.
  

For Governor, I'd go with Eisendrath, but I don't know as much about either candidate as I'd like, so take that for what it's worth.

[newyawker99]

2. Hi Gary Kleppe!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Gary Kleppe]

5. Hiya, Yawker!

Thanks for the warm welcome.

[Radical Activist]

3. Stover in the 19th is good

Vic Roberts is a LaRouchie and sounds very good until he starts talking about how the World Bank and the Queen control everything. He's a little out there.

Stover hasn't had to give detailed positions on a lot of issues but so far he sounds very intelligent and progressive. Shimkus may have a real race on his hands this time.

[tofubo]

4. bean not here

bean not here
http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/3/12/134413/615

bean not here
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HE00635:@@@P

where is bean ??

[Padme Amidala]

6. There are a lot of matches. I forwarded the PHDC list to the board

It looks like the PHDC and you have similar taste.

[dogfacedboy]

7. John Laesch 14th n/t

[Gary Kleppe]

8. Suggest you read this:

http://50milesout.blogspot.com/2006/03/why-not-john-laesch.html