Democrat Chung Hopes "Mainstream" Views Win Second Term in Downstate House District
Rep. Sharon Chung (D-Bloomington) and Republican opponent Desi Anderson.
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When Democrats gerrymandered the legislative maps in 2021, they drew a new district connecting Democrat-leaning precincts in Peoria and Bloomington-Normal.
Rep. Sharon Chung (D-Bloomington) won the district two years ago and in her first run for re-election, faces a challenge from Carlock small business owner Desi Anderson.
Chung, a professional violist and violinist, says she’s trying to represent the closely divided district by being present and working on “mainstream” issues.
“We’re talking about things that really matter to everyone, things like health care costs or health care accessibility or affordable housing, good paying jobs, grocery prices,” she said. “Those are things that effect everybody, no matter if you’re a Republican or a Democrat.”
Anderson, meanwhile, says Democrats are making the state unaffordable to live in.
“It’s not even the cost of living, it’s just the continued taxation from the local level all the way to the state,” she said. “The state needs to come in an guarantee funding for schools, but they don’t have the money. Something doesn’t add up.”
As with many other races in the Democratic playbook this cycle, Democrats have repeatedly attacked Anderson as an “extremist” on abortion.
Chung says its an issue people care about.
“Knowing that my daughters are growing up with fewer rights nationally, at least opposed to when I was their age, kind of terrifies me, to be honest,” Chung said. “If you get a few more anti-choice Republicans [elected], things can change very quickly.”
Anderson, who when repeatedly asked by The Illinoize, declined to state her personal position on abortion, claiming it “doesn’t matter.”
“For the state of Illinois, I don’t think that’s an issue,” she said. “I think voters in Illinois have made it clear their position and Republicans are in the super minority. So, that’s the head scratcher for me. It’s a settled issue and I have no desire to pursue any legislation when it comes to that if I get into office.”
A set of direct mail pieces from Democrats caused a stir during the campaign as Anderson, who is of Roma descent from a region in India, claimed Democrats photoshopped her face onto the body of a white woman.
“It’s white arms, it’s a white person’s body where they just cut my head off, copied and pasted and photoshopped it onto a white woman’s body,” she said. “I think that’s never ok. We’ve gotta have some ethics reform. Once you start altering someone’s skin color.”
Chung, who is of Korean heritage, denied Democrats doctored any photos of Anderson, though didn’t say if they put her face on a different body.
“We did not, in any way, do anything with the photos,” Chung said. “It’s pretty clear we did not do anything to alter the original photo itself.”
Chung won the district by 4.5 points in 2022. President Biden won it by around 8 points in 2020 and Hillary Clinton won the district by around 3.5 points in 2016. Anderson lost a Senate race to Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) by about 16 points in 2022.
The 91st is the latest in a long list of districts around the state where Democrats are swamping Republicans financially.
Chung raised around $430,000 in the third quarter and has raised around $70,000 in large contributions since October 1, including $50,000 from Governor JB Pritzker. House Democrats spent around $280,000 on her behalf in the third quarter. Since October 1, Democrats have spent another $260,000 on mail, digital, and staff.
Anderson raised around $60,000 in the third quarter and Republicans spent around $193,000 on her behalf in the third quarter. Since then, Republicans have spent around $50,000 on her behalf, but haven’t reported any spending on her behalf since a poll on October 10, a sign they may be pulling out of the race.
Chung ended the third quarter with around $360,000 in the bank. Anderson had around $35,000.