Rock Island Today

Former U.S. Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-Colona), who left Illinois with his family nearly three years ago in part to escape the rising taxes, is now running for office in the Iowa's 2nd Congressional District.

“After 2014, I had planned on staying out of the public light,” Schilling posted on his website. “I wanted to spend time with my family and focus on expanding our family pizza restaurant. But when Democrats took over the House last year and started passing a radical, Venezuela-style socialist agenda, I knew I couldn't just sit back and watch.”

Schilling, who was unseated in Illinois' 17th Congressional District by Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline) five years ago, singled out proposed legislation like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-New York) proposed Green New Deal and various gun and abortion bills as some of the things that have most troubled him recently.  

“To top it all off, Democrats have blocked almost all of President Trump's economic agenda that aims to finally bring back the American middle class,” Schilling said. “We can't bring back the American middle-class with this group of radical obstructionists holding Congress hostage. We've got to take back the House, and the only way to do that is to win Democrat-held seats.”

Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) announced that he will not be seeking reelection in the 2nd District when his term ends.

“I'm confident that we will win,” Schilling added on his website. “Not only is this district an open seat without an incumbent, but it's also much more conservative than my previous district.”