A Carbondale attorney, Brian Roberts, is challenging the Murphysboro incumbent, Mike Bost, for a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
Roberts and Bost are the democratic and republican candidates for Illinois 12th congressional district. Bost has held this seat in the U.S. House since 2015.
One of the issues Roberts finds himself concerned with is reproductive healthcare and rights. Roberts say this is a personal choice for individuals and doesn't think the government should play a role at all.
"I know it's been an issue in this country for decades." says Roberts, "But to me that is a personal choice and that's a personal decision for both men and women, for health care decisions, to make those decisions with their medical providers and families."
Being a gun owner himself, he is also concerned about the second amendment but Roberts says he would like to see more done about assault weapons.
"What frustrates me and I think a lot of people is, it doesn't seem like we're trying to explore even options to try and help correct this problem." says Roberts.
Bost has put a large focus on what he would like to do for the economy. He says he would like to bring more jobs back to the U.S.
"That is making sure that we're producing the products that we can become self-sufficient inside our borders." says Bost, "Not to be locked out of the world, but be secure in the world and the fact that we don't have, all of a sudden we don't have a product that's vitally important because we've allowed another nation and we have to become dependent on them."
When asked about border and immigration Bost says he would endorse the same border policies we had during the Trump administration.
"I would endorse the one that we had during the Trump administration and that is the fact that we would go ahead and secure the southern border." says Bost, "You can call it a wall or you can call fence, whatever you wanna call it."
Both candidates will be on the ballot Illinois 12th congressional district come November 5th.
