The Vermilion County Democratic Party has kicked-off a final push toward the March 19th Presidential Primary Election. Bill Pickett has the details….
A rally held at the Party headquarters Wednesday featured several candidates. One of them, Jarrett Clem, who lives near St. Joseph in Champaign County, is running for State Representative from the 104th District. It is the seat currently held by Republican Brandun Schweizer of Danville.
Clem is vice-president of the Eastern Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council and said he is a strong supporter of apprenticeships…
{AUDIO: “From the dentist hygienist to the veterinary technician, even the swift truck driving program and other forklift driving programs – apprenticeships work. The formula works. It’s a great way to teach somebody who’s working alongside an expert. Parkland has ramped up a lot of those. DACC is moving towards more and more apprenticeship-based education. And for me, it’s a passion.”}
Clem (shown in photo above) has a number of issues he wants to help lawmakers address…
{AUDIO: “One of the big issues I’m passionate about – because I live it every day – is early childhood education and affordable, accessible child care. I have a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old and childcare is tough. Where we live Prairieview-Ogden does not offer an after school program, so what do you do with your children when you have to go to work? That’s tough.}
Clem also commented on some people’s desire to have downstate Illinois secede from the Chicago area…
{AUDIO: “Let’s be honest, legally there’s literally almost no way that could ever happen. You would have to have the state legislators’ blessing, which would be very tough to do in Illinois. And then the U.S. Congress blessing. It’s a distraction from real issues in the community, and it’s frustrating to see people spending time on something that’s completely irrelevant when there are real issues that we could spend time on.”}
Vermilion County Democratic Party Chair Mickensy Ellis-White (shown in photo) encouraged members of the Party to unite in taking their message to voters. The Danville rally was the first stop on a whistle stop campaign in which the Party will be holding events in other parts of the county prior to Election Day.
