General Parker

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

General Parker

Independent

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Personal

Birthplace

Peoria, Ill.

Religion

None

Profession

Criminal justice reform advocate

Contact

Campaign website

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Personal Facebook

Personal Twitter

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General Parker (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 17th Congressional District. He lost as a write-in in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Parker completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

General Parker was born in Peoria, Illinois. His career experience includes working as a criminal justice reform advocate and a journeyman boilermaker.

Elections

2020

See also: Illinois' 17th Congressional District election, 2020

Illinois' 17th Congressional District election, 2020 (March 17 Democratic primary)

Illinois' 17th Congressional District election, 2020 (March 17 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Illinois District 17

Incumbent Cheri Bustos defeated Esther Joy King and General Parker in the general election for U.S. House Illinois District 17 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cheri Bustos (D)	52.0	156,011
		Esther Joy King (R)	48.0	143,863
		General Parker (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	21

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 299,895
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 17

Incumbent Cheri Bustos defeated Spanky Edwards in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 17 on March 17, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cheri Bustos	99.7	56,388
		Spanky Edwards (Write-in)	0.3	189

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 56,577
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• William Swisher (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 17

Esther Joy King defeated Bill Fawell in the Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 17 on March 17, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Esther Joy King	65.1	19,464
		Bill Fawell	34.9	10,423

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 29,887 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Charles William Helmick Jr. (R)
• Thomas Alvin Zastrow (R)
• Eugene Farrell (R)

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

General Parker completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Parker's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A retired, disabled, union journeyman Boilermaker/Welder who spends his time nowadays as a Criminal Justice Reform Advocate and fighting government corruption, Mr. Parker believes you must live at least part of your life in service to others. He spends most his life in service to others trying to make this world a better place than he found it. Mr. Parker was also instrumental in lobbying for passage of the First Step Act.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I'm Un-bought
• I'm Un-bossed
• I'm everyday people and I work for you

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Title -IV D

Healthcare for All
Criminal Justice Reform
Law Enforcement Reform
The 13th Amendment
Immigration Reform
Stopping Endless Wars
Budget
Second Amendment
Ethics Reform
Banking Reform

Housing Reform

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My great-grandmother Eva Mae Parkerand her son, my grandfather, Loys Parker, Sr. In all my life I've never met two more genuine loving compassionate people who make it a point to love and respect everybody.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

In the works. It titled, "All Roads Lead to Slavery!"

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty and integrity. They ability to admit when you're wrong and make up for your mistakes. Most people forget that part after asking for forgiveness politicians don't care about making things right because they expect the people to pay for their mistakes That's got to stop.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I'm honest, straightforward and I care about people and will stand up for them

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Representing the people first, not profits nor your own individual interest either. Having the guts to stand up to leadership when the actions and decisions are contrary to what's best for the constituents who sent us hear to represent them.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That when this country was crashing and burning, I helped turn it around and made America a better place than I found it

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The Riots of 1967 then the killing of Martin Luther King, Jr. I was about four to five years of age. I have many other memories but they don't seem too historical to others.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I've worked since I was twelve years old as a newspaper deliverer to working summer jobs through the Urban league and finally Steak and Shake in 1978.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The learning Tree by Gordon Parks. It was my coming of age book and movie I'm the fifth grade. "The New Jim Crow - Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness" by Michelle Alexander and " Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nahisi Coatespull a very close tie for number 2.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Wake Up Everybody by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Getting people to quit falling for the stereotypes of black men. It's also hard watching people of color be killed with impunity with absolutely remorse, no regard for human and only excuses.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

As straight a line as possible while remembering the suppression of the past to keep minorities and others from exercising their right. I truly believe this can be done without the gerrymandering that's been going on over the years now that's one committee I would love to be on.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

None of the ones it used to and I plan to restore that.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I can see where it can be a help in a person's job to fulfill their duty to the people buyout representative no longer serves us but instead, they appease and answer only to Corporate interest and oligarchs.

I'm Un-bought and Un-bossed. I don't have that probl

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Honesty! Politicians and a lot of the people who follow them, seem to have a problem telling the truth and being upfront, honest and real. Hypocrisy is no longer considered a character flaw unless you are speaking against what your supporters stand for.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Maybe

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Maybe four years but two years is more than enough time if you actually go somewhere to work, and put your mind to work especially when you're trying to help the people.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

They changed immensely. I'm in favor of them. Nobody needs to be in power that long. Ten years is more than enough time to get something done. If it isn't fixed by then, it's more than likely you helped break or became a part of the system to keep it broke and get rich off the people you swore to protect.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

No! I'm Un-bought and unbossed

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Harold Washington.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

All of them, even my own but people losing loved ones and friends for lack of healthcare is utterly atrocious. Downright Criminal!

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2020 Elections

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External links

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Footnotes

[show]

Illinois' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Tammy Duckworth (D)

Dick Durbin (D)

Representatives

District 1

Jonathan Jackson (D)

District 2

Robin Kelly (D)

District 3

Delia Ramirez (D)

District 4

Jesus Garcia (D)

District 5

Mike Quigley (D)

District 6

Sean Casten (D)

District 7

Danny Davis (D)

District 8

Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)

District 9

Jan Schakowsky (D)

District 10

Brad Schneider (D)

District 11

Bill Foster (D)

District 12

Mike Bost (R)

District 13

Nikki Budzinski (D)

District 14

Lauren Underwood (D)

District 15

Mary Miller (R)

District 16

Darin LaHood (R)

District 17

Eric Sorensen (D)

Democratic Party (16)

Republican Party (3)