South Cook News

Ashley Ramos, a candidate for the 2nd Congressional District, criticized incumbent U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), accusing her of neglecting her duty to represent parents by not voting on a bill related to parental rights. Ramos contends that Kelly prioritized personal promotion over representing constituents.

“If you take on the responsibility of being the people’s voice, you must show up and vote in their best interests,” Ramos said on Facebook. “As your House Rep in District 2, I will vote yes to parents rights.”

The candidate singled out Kelly for not attending the crucial vote on parental rights. She underscored that while Kelly was absent from this key legislative decision, she was active on Twitter promoting various initiatives. To substantiate her claim, Ramos presented an infographic which suggested that Kelly prioritized personal promotion over representing her constituents' concerns.

"On the day she should have been voting to secure parents' rights, Robin Kelly didn’t bother to show up and represent the parents of her district," Ramos stated in the infographic. "But she showed up on Twitter to promote what she thought she would personally benefit from promoting."

Ramos highlighted that while neglecting the parental rights vote, Kelly was updating her Twitter account. On March 24th, Kelly tweeted about a bipartisan bill she co-authored with @boblatta - the Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act - which had been approved by @EnergyCommerce.

"My bipartisan bill with @boblatta - the Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act - was approved by @EnergyCommerce today," Kelly said. "With over 2000 farms in my district, I’m proud to promote innovations that will allow farmers to increase productivity while minimizing costs."

Ramos also pointed out that on the same day, Kelly posted about the fifth anniversary of the March For Our Lives movement.

"5 years ago today, March For Our Lives came to Washington to demand that our leaders #EndGunViolence. Gun violence is a public health crisis and I will never stop fighting to break the cycle of violence and save lives," Kelly stated.

Ramos, who resides in Bradley and has roots in Chicago Heights, completed her education at Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School in 2005. She later pursued radiology courses at Kankakee Community College. As an e-commerce specialist and devoted mother, Ramos brings a diverse skill set to her campaign. In addition to being a licensed notary with CPR certification, according to her campaign website.

The 2nd Congressional District encompasses the south suburbs of Chicago, eastern Will County, most of Kankakee County and Chicago’s far southeast side. The district is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), who has held the position since 2013. Kelly also serves as the Chair of the Illinois Democratic Party, according to Ballotpedia.