Candidates for First Congressional District attend Forum

Indivisible Chicago South Side hosted a Forum for Congressional District 1 Candidates at First Unitarian Church, in Hyde Park, Thursday, Jan. 23. Congressman Bobby Rush, Robert Emmons, Jr., and Sarah Gad were in attendance. Photo Credit: Tia Carol Jones
Indivisible Chicago South Side hosted a Forum for Congressional District 1 Candidates at First Unitarian Church, in Hyde Park, Thursday, Jan. 23. Congressman Bobby Rush, Robert Emmons, Jr., and Sarah Gad were in attendance. Photo Credit: Tia Carol Jones

Candidates for First Congressional District attend Forum

BY TIA CAROL JONES

Congressman Bobby Rush, as well as two candidates, Robert Emmons, Jr., and Sarah Gad, vying for his seat, participated in Indivisible Chicago South Side’s Congressional Candidate Forum Thursday, Jan. 23, at First Unitarian Church of Chicago, in Hyde Park.

The fourth candidate, Dr. Ameena Matthews, was not in attendance due to an illness, but her campaign manager made a brief statement on her behalf, in which she thanked the organization for including her in the forum.

Esther Peters served as moderator for the forum where questions were asked by audience members as well as by Peters. Questions were submitted ahead of time, via an online form. And, candidates were given the questions ahead of time.

Douglas Bishop, of Indivisible Chicago South Side, said it was done this way to ensure there were a range of questions. ”This is the setup we agreed to,” he said. “We thought it was better to have everybody there.”

Candidates were asked 10 questions ranging from Medicare to gun violence, from the Green New Deal to public housing.

Each candidate was given the opportunity to make an opening statement. During his opening statement, Rush discussed his background and made a reference to his age at an earlier point in his life where one of his opponents, Emmons, is 27 and another candidate Gad, is in her 30s.

“When I was 27, I had raised a family and I was honorably discharged from armed service. I supported Harold Washington two times, when he ran for State Senate and for Mayor,” he said. “I’ve been in the forefront of so many issues. I’m having a great time and I’m enjoying what I’ve done.”

Emmons talked about growing up in Auburn-Gresham and described himself as a “social innovator.”

“I’ve worked bringing young people together to solve issues of gun violence,” he said. “I am running to make this the last generation to deal with everyday gun violence.”

Gad said she was approached by people from the 1st District to run for the seat. “They saw me as someone who could affect positive change,” she said.

Gad also touted her work at her law school’s clinic in representing young offenders. And, suggested the U.S. end its war on drugs.

“We should cut our losses in this Drug War. All this drug war has done is drain,” she said.

Gad suggested creating access to jobs, investing in public transportation and supporting reparations as ways to improve the 1st Congressional District.

Rush agreed jobs and economic development are important, but included another aspect, black-owned businesses. “Why don’t we have more black-owned businesses in the 1st District,” he said. Rush added, he has worked with corporations and businesses to bring more jobs and employment opportunities to the District.

When it came to the question about the Green New Deal, Gad said it was a particularly relevant issue in the District and that she would like to see more affirmative steps taken. Emmons talked about his endorsement from Sunrise Chicago, an organization of young people seeking to stop climate change, who champion the Green New Deal. Rush touted his sponsorship of HR1315, which would improve education and training in energy-related industries and increase the number of skilled workers from underrepresented groups. He also talked about expanding the infrastructure for electric cars.

During a question about what committees the candidates would like to serve on, Gad took Rush to task over his recent endorsement. “I find it interesting that Congressman Rush endorsed Mike Bloomberg who is the king of Stop and Frisk,” she said. Gad went on to say that she would want to sit on the Judiciary Committee. “I’m supporting Mike Bloomberg because he can beat Trump,” Rush said.

Emmons said he would want to sit on the Committee for Energy and Commerce so he could pass the Green New Deal.

All the candidates were in support of reparations and agreed public housing was important and impactful.

Gad said she thought more funding should be appropriated to public housing. Emmons supported universal housing through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also said he supports a federal rent control. “Development often comes with displacement,” Emmons said.

Rush said this session more than 400 bills have been passed and 275 of those bills were bi-partisan. “We will not get anything done until we control the Senate and the White House,” he said.

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