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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Porter McNeil |
| Email | None |
| Website | [Link] |
| Born |
Unknown
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| Contributor | ev |
| Last Modifed | ev
Aug 09, 2021 06:10pm |
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| Info | Political activist and Democratic National Convention Delegate for many candidates over the years.
Porter McNeil, Quad City-based media & public affairs consultant, announced today that he will run for the 71st District Illinois House seat being vacated by State Rep. Mike Boland. The Democratic primary will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2010.
McNeil will file his petitions of candidacy on Monday in Springfield with the Illinois State Board of Elections.
A Moline native and resident, he said he’s running to help build a strong economy and quality of life for future generations. “I moved back here to make a difference – to use my experience working in the Statehouse and my experience here in community development – to do something positive,” he said. “I want my kids – and all kids – to succeed and thrive here. That’s what all parents want. We’ve got to build an economy and a quality of life worthy of that choice.”
“I am running because I want to serve. I am running to use my leadership skills and experience to make the Quad City region a better place for our kids and our future generations,” said McNeil, who will focus on jobs, education, health care and government reform.
He said working as one region will help improve the regional economy. “Opening the Thomson Prison to full capacity in Carroll County helps the entire region … Developing passenger rail from Chicago to the Quad Cities and building the new WIU-QC Riverfront Campus helps the entire region,” said McNeil.
McNeil said he’s also running to be an independent voice for change. “There are a lot of areas in which we can make changes to help restore public faith in state government, including finding ways to cut wasteful state government spending, overhauling our outdated tax structure by looking for ways to reduce property taxes, reforming the way we draw up our legislative districts and moving the primary from February 2 to May or June to encourage greater participation,” he said.
He said “government reform” also includes being a strong voice for solving the state’s fiscal problems. “On this Halloween, let us resolve that state government should no longer play tricks and more tricks on the taxpayers of the state. The time has come to put our fiscal house in order like families throughout this district have to do,” said McNeil.
McNeil has nearly a decade of experience in state government, including serving on the House Democrat Issues Development Staff in Springfield and as Statehouse Press Secretary for Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes. He also worked in higher education as public information coordinator for the University of Illinois @ Springfield.
Since moving back home in 2000, he has worked to promote several issues including the Western Illinois University-Quad City Riverfront Campus and the Mississippi River Technology Corridor as a media consultant with Renew Moline.
McNeil and his wife, Mary, live in Moline and are the parents of three children: James (14), Jack, (12) and Ellie (8). He has been active in the community, volunteering for the Quad City Child Abuse Council, the Moline Public School Foundation, the Moline Blue Marlins Swim Club, the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign and the QC Passenger Rail Coalition.
He has spent time on the campaign trail helping other candidates, including serving as Illinois Communications Director for the Kerry-Edwards Presidential Campaign, Northwest Illinois coordinator for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and staffer for Axelrod & Associates (David Axelrod is now Senior Adviser to President Barack Obama).
The 71st District includes portions of Carroll, Henry, Rock Island and Whiteside Counties.
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