Eric Reyes
Eric Reyes was a Republican candidate for the United States House of Representatives in the 2014 elections. He withdrew from the race on December 30, 2013.[1]
Reyes was a 2012 independent candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 17th Congressional District of Illinois. He announced his decision to run as an Independent in the general election, rather than face off in the Democratic primary in the 17th District.[2][3][4]
Biography
Reyes grew up in Rock Island, Illinois, and is a resident of the Quad Cities (comprised of Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, and Davenport).[5]
Education:[5]
- Lincoln Elementary, Audubon, Illinois
- Washington Junior High School
- Rock Island High School (1997)
- Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, with B.A. in political science and Philosophy
- Northern Illinois University, College of Law
Career
- "Northern Illinois County Organizer," Obama for Senate campaign[5]
- Law office practicing primarily family law[5]
- 2008-2010: Assistant State's Attorney[5]
- January 2010:Returned to private practice[5]
- July 2010: Partner, VanDerGinst Law, P.C[5]
- June 2011: Returned to private practice[5]
Campaign themes
2012
On his campaign website Reyes had 4 leading issues that he was concerned about. They were:[6]
- Job Growth: Excerpt: "As your Congressman, I will be more than happy to work with my neighboring Congressmen, regardless of party, because our geographically connected districts rise and fall together. We cannot afford to attempt to isolate ourselves from our neighbors. Nor can we afford to reject proposals by members of either party simply because they have a (D) or (R) by their name. My plan to stimulate job creation through airport expansion and improvement is not only logical, but also has the necessary universal support to be practical."
- Healthcare: Excerpt: "I believe access to quality, affordable health care is a right, not a privilege. In addition, I would work to expand the highly-effective and highly-efficient community health center programs, which, provide comprehensive primary care services to all in their community without regard to ability to pay. I also wants to significantly expand the National Health Service Corps which provides scholarships and loan repayment to those health professionals who agree to work in medical and dental under-served areas, a vital resource for overcoming the shortage of health personnel in urban and inner city regions."
- Immigration Reform: Excerpt: "I believe our immigration system needs a COMPLETE OVERHAUL. The system needs to simplified and it needs to be far less expensive. An average adult should have the ability to fill out the paperwork correctly, and it shouldn’t cost months, worth of wages to apply for an immigrant visa. I’ve grown tired of hearing from people who tell me that their ancestors immigrated here “the right way.” Of course, these individuals often have no idea what “the right way” was back then."
- Gun Rights: Excerpt: "I support the individual right to own firearms. This includes for sporting uses, as well as self-defense uses. Without question, I believe the government has the right to regulate the use and type of such weapons, to require background checks and waiting periods, and to register the ownership of such items."
Elections
2014
Reyes ran for election to the U.S. House, representing the 17th Congressional District of Illinois. He withdrew from the race on December 30, 2013.[1]
2012
Reyes lost to Democrat Cheri Bustos in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Illinos' 17th District. Reyes ran as an Independent.[7]
Reyes announced his decision to run as an Independent in the general election, rather than face off in the Democratic primary in the 17th District.[8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Cheri Bustos |
53.3% | 153,519 | |
| Republican | Bobby Schilling Incumbent | 46.7% | 134,623 | |
| Independent | Eric Reyes | 0% | 10 | |
| Total Votes | 288,152 | |||
| Source: Illinois Board of Elections "2012 General Election Official Vote Totals" | ||||
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 QC Times, "Reyes withdraws from congressional primary," accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ QC Times, "RI Attorney Announces Congressional Run" accessed July 29, 2013
- ↑ WIFR.com, "Gaulrapp and Reyes Still in the Congressional Race" accessed March 15, 2012
- ↑ Eric Reyes for Congress, "STATEMENT OF ERIC REYES ON ANSWERING THE CALL OF VOTERS FOR AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE" accessed March 15, 2012
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Eric Reyes for Congress, "About Eric Reyes" accessed January 16, 2012
- ↑ Eric Reyes for Congress, "Issues" accessed December 31, 2011
- ↑ Quad-City Times, "RI attorney announces congressional run" accessed December 15, 2011
- ↑ WIFR.com, "Gaulrapp and Reyes Still in the Congressional Race" accessed March 15, 2012
