Rock Island Today

17th Congressional District candidate Joe McGraw is drawing attention to what he perceives as alarming statistics since President Biden took office. McGraw, who announced his candidacy in mid-Oct., emphasized a surge in border crossings, a significant increase in suspected terrorists at the border, and a rise in human trafficking arrests.

“Pause for a minute to consider the following statistics: Since President Biden took office, border crossings are up 300%, instances of suspected terrorists at the border have increased 5,533%, and human trafficking arrests at the border have shot up 50% in the last year alone,” McGraw said on Facebook.

“The chaos and lawlessness is shocking, and the human toll of the crisis is devastating. This includes the children who are abused by human traffickers and cartels both at the border and once into the U.S. It is also putting all Americans, even thousands of miles away, in danger as fentanyl pours into communities from coast to coast.”

“In the past year, our home state lost nearly 4,000 people to drug overdose. And data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Illinois accounts for the sixth-most fentanyl overdoses in the country. How many of us know someone who has lost a loved one? We must fight back.”

“Eric Sorensen is not willing to put our safety and security first, but I always will be.”

McGraw announced his candidacy in mid-Oct. in the 17th Congressional District, which is highly competitive, having been won by Sorensen in 2022 with a narrow margin.

In an effort to unseat Sorensen, McGraw’s campaign emphasizes law-and-order themes and draws on his judicial background as an authoritative voice on issues such as urban crime and immigration. 

“There’s something wrong when big-city liberals would rather demonize honest cops than crack down on criminals, when politicians in Washington care more about illegal immigrants than the safety and security of our own citizens, and when the exporting of good manufacturing jobs, combined with record inflation, crushes families’ economic viability,” McGraw said in a statement.

McGraw supports a border wall, advocates for comprehensive immigration reform, and favors state regulation over federal involvement in abortion issues.

The campaign website presents McGraw as a committed husband, father, lifelong Illinoisan, a faithful steward of the law who spent his career in law enforcement – as a prosecutor, private attorney, and judge – and is now ready to take on corruption in Washington to ensure safety, freedom, and economic prosperity for their community.

After retiring from the 17th Circuit Court after 21 years of service back in May, McGraw was recognized for his dedication to individualized justice and leadership.

The 17th Congressional District includes Carroll, Fulton, Henry, Knox, McDonough, Mercer, McLean, Peoria, Rock Island, Stephenson, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, and Winnebago counties.