CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) — Democrat Brendan Kelly is trying to retake a southern Illinois House seat that Democrats held for more than 30 years before Republican state Rep. Mike Bost won it in 2014. Two years later the working-class corner of the state supported Donald Trump by 15 percentage points after twice backing Barack Obama for president.
How Kelly and Democrats running in other largely rural, blue collar districts fare in November could determine whether the party wins the 23 seats it needs to take control of the House next month. It also may signal whether there's hope of winning back those voters in 2020.
Trump will campaign with Bost on Saturday.
Kelly says it's clear the last few years haven't brought the kind of economic turnaround Illinois' 12th Congressional District hoped for.
