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WCBU is committed to bringing you NPR's special coverage of the 2020 election.The League of Women Voters Greater Peoria and Fondulac District Library hosted a Candidates Forum on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m.Click here to read about or listen to the forum. Local Races91st House District:Mark Luft (R)Josh Grys (D)92nd House District:Jehan Gordon-Booth (D)Chad Grimm (L) 46th Senate District:David Koehler (D)Mary Burress (R)

Bustos Isn't Endorsing A Presidential Primary Candidate - But She Has Some Advice

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos isn't endorsing a candidate in the Democratic presidential primary yet, but she says it's important for the eventual nominee to understand something about districts like hers.

"Eighteen percent of the people all of the suddent switched from voting for President Obama in 2012 to voting for President Trump in 2016," she said. "And I think it's important that we all understand why that happened."

Bustos, a moderate Moline Democrat who also chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, represents a district that swung red in 2016 after decades of supporting Democratic presidential candidates. The sprawling district stretches from Rockford in the north to parts of Peoria and Pekin. 

She says it will be important for the nominee to understand farming and manufacturing needs in the Heartland.

Tim was the News Director at WCBU Peoria Public Radio. He left the station in 2025.