Democratic candidates from across the state will converge in Bloomington-Normal next week, an uncommon occurrence in red McLean County.
McLean County isn’t as red as it used to be, according to Mike Matejka with the McLean County Democrats, referring to a mass gathering of statewide and local Democratic candidates to take place next week in Bloomington.
Candidates are attending a Democrat Day Kickoff in Bloomington on Wednesday, one day ahead of Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair.
Matejka said this isn’t the first local gathering of its kind, and it certainly won’t be the last.
“I think candidates are aware, and I think they’re also aware that you’ve got Democrats that, you know the old saying, number two, you try harder,” Matejka said. “Folks have been working really hard to build a Democratic presence in this community for the last few years, and it’s starting to show results.”
He said the demographics of the county are changing.
“Bloomington-Normal is blue. And everybody presumes McLean County is red. But if you look at the totals for this county, it’s changing. Barack Obama carried it in 2008. Hillary Clinton only lost the county by 800 votes, which is a pretty slim margin,” Matejka said.
Democratic candidate for governor J.B. Pritzker and his running mate Juliana Stratton will be in attendance, as well as U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, McLean County Clerk candidate Nikita Richards, and McLean County Democratic Party Chair Erik Rankin.
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