Team, I'll never forget my first taste of the ugly, mudslinging that comes along with running for office.

We had just won the primary election in IL-17, and got word that some unmarked mailers had made their way to voters’ mailboxes. They contained blatantly homophobic attacks against one "E.R.I.C" -- or an “Extreme Radical Indoctrinating Children.” I wonder who that might be? 🤔

I'm no stranger to homophobia, but I always imagined this type of bigotry was becoming much more rare and fringe. Enter Mike Johnson -- the newly-elected Speaker of the House and now the third person in the presidential line of succession.

• Johnson is on record supporting the CRIMINALIZATION of sexual acts between consenting LGBTQ+ adults.
• He defends the idea of sterilizing trans people.
• He penned an op-ed contending that the "homosexual agenda" would “destroy society” as we know it. 

The sad truth is that we're seeing this type of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment creep up more and more in recent years. And with Mike Johnson holding the gavel, extremists are more emboldened than ever to turn their bigotry into actual legislation if we don't stop them.

I need your help, team. We need to stop anti-LGBTQ extremism and restore some decency to the halls of Congress. Please chip in $5 to ensure we're equipped to keep IL-17 blue so we can retake the House. Every donation sends a message that we won't back down to homophobia.

Respectfully,

- Eric

Eric Sorensen is a meteorologist born and raised in Rockford, IL representing IL-17 in Congress. He’s seen firsthand the importance of establishing trust with the community, and he’s determined to use his expertise as a climate communicator to fight for Illinoisans on environmental justice and more in Washington. To support Eric, consider making a grassroots contribution here.

P.O. Box 1172 Moline, IL 61265 United States