DANVILLE — Meet with two Democratic candidates for the Congressional 15th District on Monday.
Amy Buttram, the chair of the Vermilion County Democratic Party, said candidates will be present at their monthly meeting at 6 p.m.
Candidate Randy Raley of Highland will speak first, followed by Jennifer Todd of Glen Carbon. They are both seeking the Democratic nomination to run against Congresswoman Mary Miller (Republican).
Buttram said the candidates will focus on “what differentiates them from each other? Because there are four candidates that are running in the 15th, and there are also those that are running in the second. There are a lot of people.”
Candidates will be given around 10 minutes of speaking and around 15 minutes for questions from the audience.
Buttram said the party is trying to replace Miller.
“It’s very competitive races,” Buttram said. So, what do they want to do for the 15th Congressional District?”
Butrram did not have positive words about Miller.
“She does not care. And that’s what the big difference is,” Buttram said about Miller. “I look at Robin Kelly, who is the congresswoman for the Second Congressional District. I have seen her more and not as a chair, but as a constituent in her district. I saw her [Kelly] more in the first two years of her [Miller] being our representative.”
Buttram added that the event is a way for the candidates and others to connect.
“It’s talking with them, stating, you know, ‘Are you better off two years ago or four years ago or since she’s been your representative,’” Buttram said. “We have businesses that are unfortunately closing every day, and it’s really getting back to people and saying, ‘You know, we need, we really need to stop the divisiveness, obviously, but because we’re all in this together, in this world together, we all need to get along. We all need to work with one another.’”
Both candidates, Raley and Todd, will be on the ballot on March 17. Miller has held the spot of representative for the 15th District since 2021.