Eric Nelson and his husband, Jess Jose, hosted a fundraising brunch at their home for openly lesbian Metropolitan Reclamation Water District (MRWD) candidate Debra Shore Jan. 22. About 15 people attended the event to hear Shore's latest campaign news.
Among the guests was Ald. James Cappleman, who represents the ward where Nelson and Jose live. Guests chatted and noshed on Jose's homemade creations before Nelson (Shore's campaign manager), Cappleman and Shore spoke.
Cappleman said of Shore, "She has always been ahead of the curve in the pursuit of reform and transparency and that is especially important in water reclamation. ... Water is our most precious resource and we need someone like Debra Shore who understands that. ... I wholeheartedly endorse Debra Shore."
Shore said, "I believe this agency has a chance to reinvent itself and no longer treat water as a waste product ... but as a resource recovery agency." Speaking about the upcoming primary vote Shore said, "I am concerned that there will be a low voter turnout in March due to the lack of big-ticket Democratic candidates running for office in Illinois." Shore then opened the floor for questions, which ranged from the Asian carp issue to the biggest challenges that the MWRD faces.
The Chicago Federation of Labor, Personal PAC, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, the Cook County Democratic Party and the national and Northside Democracy for America have all endorsed Shore's candidacy. Shore said she is hoping to get more endorsements going forward as well as raise more campaign funds.
Mailers will be going out to the voters in the near future and Shore said she will be at train stations and L stops in February and March to chat with commuters and hand out her campaign literature.
Shore has also been invited to be a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. along with at least two other openly gay ChicagoansAld. Tom Tunney and Center on Halsted CEO Modesto Tico Valle.
For more information visit www.debrashore.org .