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Illinois' Top Female Democratic Candidates Speak At Hampton Labor Picnic

Lacy Scarmana/WVIK News

 The top four Democrats on the ballot in the Quad cities are all women, and they appeared on stage together for the Salute To Labor Picnic in Hampton. 

Hillary Clinton is at the top of the pack and running for president.  Representative Tammy Duckworth seeks a U.S. Senate seat, Representative Cheri Bustos looks to keep her congressional seat, and Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza is running for state comptroller.

Duckworth says Clinton's experience as Secretary of State, U.S. Senator and First Lady have prepared her for the presidency.

"I think she is the most highly qualified candidate for president that we've had, at least in my lifetime and as long as I can remember," Duckworth says. "She is uniquely qualified, having served in many different branches of government. She will be someone who on her day one knows exactly what it takes to be president and is qualified to do it," she said.  

Bustos says women approach governing differently than men.

"We're collaborative by nature and I think we can see that a lot of things aren't going the way they should be going," Bustos says. "I think to offer an alternative with an all female ticket on the top four seats is a pretty good thing to offer to people."

During her speech to a crowd of nearly three thousand people, Clinton urged voters to support the Democratic women on the Illinois ballot in November.

Clinton faces Republican nominee Donald Trump in November. Bustos is running against Patrick Harlan for the 17th Congressional District, Duckworth is running against Mark Kirk for Senate and Mendoza faces Comptroller Leslie Munger.

Lacy Scarmana moved to the Quad Cities in February of 2016 to become Morning Edition Producer and Digital Curator at WVIK. She began her radio career as a student at Indiana University, where she worked as a reporter and producer for NPR member station WFIU. She produced the weekly public affairs program "Noon Edition." Shortly after graduating from IU with a BA in Journalism, Lacy moved to Chicago to intern for WBEZ's daily news talk show "The Morning Shift." She produced segments, maintained the program's web and social media presence and perioidically directed the live show.