Carbondale, IL — The Democratic candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 12th district is challenging his Republican opponent to a series of public debates.
In a certified letter sent to Mike Bost on April 22nd, Ray Lenzi noted that we are living in historic times, “Given the gravity of the issues facing our district and the country as a whole, we believe it is imperative that the public hear a full airing of the vital questions before us. The people demand no less.”
Lenzi is proposing a series of 12 public meetings, one in each county of the district, “Given the Coronavirus crisis these debates may be person to person or virtual on-line encounters, depending on the physical distancing guidelines in place at the time.”
Lenzi is asking Bost to respond by May 1 and is proposing the encounters begin as early as June 1 but no later than July 1 of this year.
“We propose a system of public sponsorship by interested civic groups as well as media outlets in the district,” wrote Lenzi.
“The Lenzi for Congress campaign believes these times call for the kind of historic public discourse that Lincoln and Douglas agreed to in the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates,” Lenzi wrote to Bost. “We await your response.”
-30-
A copy of the letter sent to Congressman Bost accompanied this release. For more information or to set up a Zoom-type on-line interview with Ray Lenzi contact:
Rod Sievers
Lenzi for Congress
Communications Director
618/521-9395

By Ray Lenzi, Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 12 Congressional District
Tell me if you’ve heard this one before: Congressman Mike Bost is dancing to the tune of his super rich donors instead of representing the needs of the people. Well, of course you have!
Hospitals, small businesses, unemployed workers and state and local governments are struggling; drowning in debt. Bost of course, stands with his party’s caucus in insisting that the next stimulus bill only follows the directives of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell. “We the People” say, “Hey Mike, how about some independent thinking! Let’s take care of the people you’re supposed to represent instead of those high rollers.”
Yes, small businesses need more help. So do the unemployed, our postal workers, Illinois’ state government, and local governments from Alton and Belleville to Carbondale and Marion. Lost revenue during this crisis is threatening further layoffs that will only make things worse. Why not support a bipartisan bill that will provide the dollars that will allow the states and our local health departments the ability to provide the kind of universal testing that is needed to know when we can safely start to re-open the economy?
The only answer is that Mike Bost has no independent mind or original ideas for the good of the people. He was silent when Trump said only a month ago the virus would be down to “zero” and “go away.” Having isolated himself from the people he now hides behind his wealthy donors and simply parrots what he is told.
Hey Mike, come out of your hiding place. How about virtual debates on line right now? What are you afraid of? You won’t even call out Trump for insisting his name be on the stimulus checks! The first and only president to ever make such a nakedly selfish demand! How shameful. Is there no limit to the corruption you will support?
The Coronavirus crisis has exposed the deeply immoral alliance of Bost with the super-rich and their backward political agenda. The times they are a’ changing.’ It’s time to retire Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and Mike Bost.

Op-Ed by Ray Lenzi, Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 12 Congressional District
Bernie Sanders last week suspended his presidential campaign and Joe Biden is now incorporating some progressive positions into his platform. Thus, the “We the People” Lenzi for Congress campaign believes it is time to salute Bernie, and endorse Joe.
Bernie Sanders has for decades consistently championed forward looking and progressive policies. The need to provide affordable and quality healthcare for our people has never been so clear as it is now in the age of the Coronavirus crisis.
While probably best known for his advocacy of universal healthcare, Sanders has also raised a host of other issues. His plan to forgive college debt and provide free college tuition seems prescient when so many low- and moderate- income students and graduates are now out of jobs and healthcare.
Senator Sanders’ call for urgent action on a Green New Deal to address the climate crisis now seems more plausible after seeing the commitment of trillions of dollars in the last month to address the economic crisis spawned by the pandemic.
Whether its healthcare expansion or big projects on renewable energy, the conservative dogma that “we can’t afford it” now seems contrived and highly hypocritical. We salute Bernie for his forward leadership and encourage him to keep championing social and economic justice in general and within the Democratic Party platform and Congress in particular.
We now formally endorse Joe Biden for President. The people have spoken. Biden’s long history in Democratic and retail politics along with his record of working with labor unions and the African American community have paid off. His amiable persona, easy smile and long experience with the Senate and eight years as President Obama’s Vice-President have made him the choice of Democratic voters.
Experience matters. Now the progressive wing of the party must join in a mutually beneficial alliance with the more moderate wing of the party to push forward its agenda for bold action on universal healthcare, climate crisis action and income inequality.
These are not trivial issues. The time is ripe for big changes on the order of those instituted during the Great Depression and World War II era. It was during this period that the country saw many progressive changes including the first national minimum wage, the legalization and empowerment of labor unions, Social Security, unemployment insurance, big infrastructure projects (e.g., TVA, rural electric cooperatives and Works Progress Administration), the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the progressive income tax.
Now, as history turns, we have the opportunity to come together to enact universal healthcare while aggressively addressing climate change with a Green New Deal and income inequality with a $ 15 minimum wage, stronger labor unions, fair progressive taxation and full employment projects in distressed rural and urban communities.
Now with the Coronavirus crisis, great changes are in the air. We dare not blow this opportunity. We must stand together, Bernie and Joe supporters all.
This is our time! Time for great change, again. Past time for Americans to take their government back again. “We say Forward not Backward.” We say “The times they are a’changin’.” We say it’s time We the People retire Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and Mike Bost!

Carbondale, Ill. – 12th District Congressional candidate Ray Lenzi today claimed victory in the race for the Democratic nomination moments after his opponent conceded the election.
“As the mail-in, absentee and provisional ballots were counted it was clear that Joel Funk would not be able to overcome our margin of victory,” Lenzi said.
Only a few counties have yet to produce their final ballot count, but the heavily populated counties such as St. Clair and Madison have finished and the few ballots that remain uncounted will not change the outcome.
“Joel ran a great campaign, and he and his supporters deserve to be congratulated on their efforts,” noted Lenzi. “But it was time for the process to move forward. We hope we can work with Joel in the future to unite the party as we approach the November election.”
This marks the first time in decades that the Metro-East candidate lost in the Democratic primary election.
“We ran an unconventional grass-roots campaign,” noted Lenzi. My congratulations to our staff our volunteers, and our supporters. We operated on a shoe-string budget which meant we had to be innovative and energetic in our campaign methods, in our efforts to reach out to voters, and do fundraising. We able to overcome the advantage of our opponent being from St. Clair County.
Lenzi said that the same unique style will continue. “We are going to stay safe and follow all the guidelines as far as social distancing goes,” Lenzi said. “But with the help of our staff, we will engage with voters in the 12th District because allowing Mike Bost to stay in Washington is unacceptable.
“Mike Bost has not served the people of the district, even refusing to meet with and engage the people. He has also voted against their healthcare needs, he voted for tax cuts for the super-rich, and he has ignored the needs of the region.”

Lenzi went on to say it’s time to win back the 12 District seat for the working families of Southern Illinois and the Metro-east. “It’s time to bring back a representative who really represents the people of the district, like former Democratic congressmen Kenny Gray, Paul Simon, Glenn Poshard, and Jerry Costello.”
“As we said throughout the campaign, ’The times they are ‘a changin’…It’s time to retire Mike Bost.’”

For more information, contact:
Rod Sievers
Communications Director
Ray Lenzi for Congress
618/521-9395

Carbondale, Ill. – Presumptive Democratic nominee for Congress in Illinois’ 12th District, Ray Lenzi, today thanked all those who are fighting the battle against the Corona Virus.
”Many thanks to our brave and dedicated healthcare professionals at all levels including CNAs, nurses, doctors, specialists and other frontline workers. Special recognition to those working with our vulnerable seniors at home, in nursing homes or assisted living centers.”
Lenzi also noted that he and his staff are closely watching the situation throughout the region and the 12th District.
“We also want to recognize the county public health departments, the hospitals, clinics and public officials responsible for emergency contingency planning in case the number of those affected exceeds capacity at local facilities.
“Again, a giant thanks to all frontline workers. Be safe. You are in our thoughts and prayers.”

For more information contact:
Rod Sievers
Communications Director
618/521-9395

Carbondale, Ill. – Ray Lenzi today claimed victory in the race for the Democratic nomination to Illinois’ 12th district Congressional seat.
“It was a long night of watching the returns come in,” said Lenzi. “We had to wait until this morning to get the complete unofficial totals.”
With all 649 precincts reporting, Lenzi has 27,296 votes. His opponent Joel Funk tallied 25,522.
“It was a very close race,” Lenzi said. “Both sides worked very hard but in the end, only one campaign was going to emerge victorious. My congrats to Joel Funk and his staff for running a fair and positive campaign.
“Our win tonight shows that the voters of the 12th District believe in and support the three mantras of the “We the People” Lenzi for Congress campaign and movement: First, ”Forward not Backward.” Second, We the People – We the Majority. Third, The Times they are a’ changing – It’s Time to Retire Mike Bost.

Now, we have three questions for Mike Bost:
1) Will you support a move to keep special interests and dark and dirty money out of 12th District politics by signing a pledge to cap spending in this race at 500 thousand dollars? The voters of this district would like to see special interest money out of our politics. Please stand with the people, not with a donor base of the super-rich.

2) Will you agree to meet me in 12 face-to-face Lincoln-Douglas style debates in each of the district’s 12 counties? Please stand with the people who want a full and open discussion of the critical issues of healthcare, climate crisis action and women’s rights and end your practice of “No Show Mike” hiding behind fake town hall meetings.

3) Will you publicly call for the reversal of the Trump administration policy of defunding and dismantling the National Security Council (NSC) Pandemic Task Force and getting proper funding for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and World Health Organization (WHO)?
We are demand that Bost stand with the people of the 12th District in calling for honest and competent government by proposing these reforms in our pandemic preparedness policy.

Ray Lenzi, Democratic candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 12 District
Carbondale, Ill. – It is now clear that the Trump administration has failed us when it comes to the Coronavirus epidemic. As in other areas, such as healthcare and climate, Trump and the Republican Party have tried to move us backward. Their failure with COVID-19 is the poster boy case for bad government. This has not happed by accident.
As with other parts of the government, there has been gross impotence from unqualified hacks due to their fealty to Trump. Trump’s self-interested Republican allies who make their living from attacking government as a guise and smokescreen to massively cut taxes for the one percent (those making $500,000 annually or more) produced the flowing decision that led to a national failure on Corona:
1) Gutted funding for the Centers for Disease Control
2) Gutted the funding for the National Institute of Health
3) Gutted funding for the World Health Organization
4) Disabled Barack Obama’s National Security Council Task Force on Pandemics, eliminating funding and ending the director position for this issue.

CARBONDALE, IL — The “We the People” Ray Lenzi campaign for Congress is, in the words of Willie Nelson, “On the Road Again.”
Lenzi has been traveling from Cairo to Belleville and Alton, what he calls, the “Beautiful 12th,” for the last ten months. Now the campaign is offering a living glimpse into the candidate’s journey on the campaign’s Lenzi for Congress.org website and its Facebook page through digital video coverage of the Lenzi for Congress “We the People Caravan.”
Lenzi’s “We the People Campaign” caravan features meetings with voters as he travels the district along with vignettes of life on the road as he has “sleepovers” with people in the district, learning about communities and economies of Illinois’ 12th District.
Lenzi has been welcomed by a Democratic supporter and a Lindenwood University professor from Belleville who has provided the candidate with a spare bedroom at his house. Lenzi’s nephew in Godfrey has provided an “empty-nest” bedroom in the Alton area as Lenzi has risen as early as 5 a.m. to great United Steelworkers at the U.S. Steel plant in Granite City.
At the other end of the “Beautiful 12th” Lenzi has been campaigning at the Great Confluence in Cairo where he recently spent time visiting with community leaders championing a potential major port project at the junction of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.
Over the next week, Lenzi will continue canvassing in Franklin, Williamson, Perry, and Randolph counties where he is touting his “Just Transition” program to provide tax credit incentives to support “full salary” wages for any displaced coal miners as the economy moves to clean energy.
Lenzi has also been “on the road” in communities of high unemployment, both urban and rural, from East St. Louis to depressed rural communities in Union, Pulaski and Perry counties. Lenzi proposed FDR-era Civilian Conservation Corps jobs for park clean up, tree planting and home weatherization and as examples.
Look for the “We the People” caravan in your town.

CARBONDALE, IL – The Ray Lenzi for Congress campaign has picked up an important endorsement. In its Sunday, March 8th edition, The Southern Illinoisan newspaper based in Carbondale, Ill. gave Lenzi the nod over primary election opponent Joel Funk.
“Lenzi is a smart man with a lot of good ideas,” the Southern wrote. The editorial board noted that Lenzi “is in favor of the Second Amendment, but is for a ban on assault weapons.” The paper also praised Lenzi’s proposed tax credit system that would aid coal miners displaced by the climate change shift.
Lenzi pointed out that the endorsement highlights his positions on the issues. “It not about how much money you raise or which politicians endorse your campaign, it’s about reaching voters with a positive message that offers hope, workable solutions to major problems, and giving voters a voice in the nation’s capitol,” said Lenzi. “We’re offering a grass roots approach as opposed to high dollar campaigns that attempt to buy the election.”
Meanwhile, the Lenzi campaign has unveiled a 30 second television ad that will air in the week before the March 17th primary. “Our ad will run on network affiliates in St. Louis and Southern Illinois, on Facebook, and several other programs such as The Rachel Maddow Show,” said Lenzi. “We believe the ad, along with efforts in other media, will go a long way in getting our message out.”
The ad is posted on the Lenzi Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lenziforcongress/posts
Lenzi also noted that his Facebook page has been visited by 6,000 unique individuals in the last week, far outpacing his opponents reach. “In fact, in the last month our social media efforts have reached more than 65,000 people,” Lenzi said. “The growth in the number of people we’ve reached though social media is just phenomenal.”