Duckworth, Dems Tout 'Historic' Ticket In Get-Out-The-Vote Push
By Stephen Gossett in News on Nov 8, 2016 2:18PM
Current U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-8th) is heavily enough favored to defeat Sen. Mark Kirk in their race for the U.S. Senate, it’s probably safe to characterize her favorite status as “prohibitive.” But the representative appears to be taking nothing for granted as she works to leverage her popularity across the ticket in the final moments of the campaign.
A get-out-the-vote campaign took Duckworth from the north suburbs to the Far South Side on Monday afternoon before culminating at a high-wattage rally in River North in the evening, where candidates and speakers reminded supporters of Illinois Democrats’ diverse, female ticket.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Illinois comptroller candidate Susana Mendoza, Cook County State’s Attorney hopeful Kim Foxx, and a host of community leaders all joined Duckworth at Monday night’s rally, at the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters.
“What other party would put together a ticket of these women that are just bad asses?” said Ald. Proco Joe Moreno (1st).
Foxx called the ticket “historic.” Duckworth noted the importance of pointing out to children that the “first eight names on my ballot were women.”
A Duckworth victory is crucial if the Democrats are to have a chance to regain the Senate. Democrats need to gain four seats to tie and five for an outright majority.
Earlier on Monday, Duckworth met with volunteers at a phone bank in Arlington Heights before speaking with senior voters at Casa Maravilla Senior Center, in Pilsen, and greeting commuters at the 95/Dan Ryan Red Line CTA Stop, in Roseland.
Duckworth on Tuesday plans to crisscross the Chicago area again in a final get-out-the-vote push.