Republican Alyssia Benford: 'I don't play follow the leader.' | candidate email
Republican Alyssia Benford: 'I don't play follow the leader.' | candidate email
Alyssia Benford, District 98 candidate for the Illinois House, says the choice for who should lead the district hinges on how the candidate will handle two key votes.
“A vote for my opponent is a vote for Mike Madigan as Speaker of the House and (his) Rules for the House of Representatives,” Benford said in an interview with Will County Gazette.
Benford, a Republican, is running against incumbent Natalie Manley (D-Joilet) in the 98th District state House race.
Incumbent Democrat Rep. Natalie Manley is seeking re-election.
“The biggest difference between me and my opponent is that she has not, cannot and will never be an independent voice, because she is elected into office each term based on the funds given to her by the Speaker,” Benford said. “I have not taken money from the governor or the speaker, so I can and will be an independent voice for the residents of the 98th District.”
Along with several other GOP candidates, Benford has signed a pledge refusing a legislative pension, if elected.
“Unlike my opponent, I will not be more concerned with protecting my benefits than I am concerned with representing the people who elected me,” Benford said. These are “people being taxed out of their homes, who have seen their security disappear, as Springfield grows larger and more powerful.”
Benford also touted her academic training, including a master’s degree in government accounting and a doctoral degree that allowed her to focus academically on the impact of pensions and property taxes on educational funding.
The GOP candidate said Manley has lied about how many years she has been a licensed CPA, “along with many other things,” and said Manley has “mailed a fake newspaper about herself to District 98 voters.
“I don't play follow the leader,” Benford said. “People in my district are hurting. I am running for office to make sure the powerful people in Springfield hear all about it – loud and clear.”
The 98th District includes part of Chicago Metro Area and the communities of Crest Hill, Du Page Joliet, Lockport, Plainfield, Troy and Wheatland.
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