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WGLT's reporting on the November 2020 election cycle.

Londrigan Makes Final Push To Rally ISU Student Support

Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan is making a final push for college students to support her at the polls.

Londrigan stopped by the Illinois State University campus Friday afternoon to meet with student organizers.

College towns turned out big for Londrigan in her first bid for the 13th Congressional District seat in 2018. She's hoping that support will grow even more this time around.

"We came within less than 1% of getting this seat flipped," Londrigan said. "To boil that down, we needed to flip two points per precinct. That's how close it was."

Londrigan challenged students to find three friends who hadn't yet voted, and urge them to cast a ballot.

"This is for you to share with your fellow students—if they want to live in the world exactly the way it is, then they can do nothing and kind of slide along. I don't recommend it," Londrigan said. "If you want to live in a world that you see, that you believe is fair for you, that you believe is fair for your family and your friends ... if you want to live in that world, then you have to build it."

Londrigan reiterated her campaign message that "health care is on the ballot" this fall. But she also pushed an issue important among younger voters: climate change.

"We have got to get down quickly to the busy work of saving our earth," Londrigan said. "Health care, the economy, and our climate all go hand in hand."

Londrigan noted her opponent, Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, was given a 7% lifetime scorecard by the League of Conservation Voters that tracks lawmakers' action on environmental issues.

Organizers with Londrigan's campaign said ISU is on track to beat its 2016 voter turnout and early voting participation.

In 2016, about 51% of ISU students voted in the last presidential election--slightly above the national average of 50.4%.

While Londrigan made campaign stops in Bloomington-Normal on Friday, Davis headed to the Metro East area to visit the Salvation Army Food Pantry in Jerseyville.

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Dana Vollmer is a reporter with WGLT. Dana previously covered the state Capitol for NPR Illinois and Peoria for WCBU.
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