17 Members of Congress Endorse Juan Thomas

Seventeen members of the U.S. House of Representatives have endorsed Juan Thomas' candidacy for the new 11th Congressional District, according to a press release from Thomas. 

Those endorsing him include: 

• Danny K. Davis (D-IL/7th)
• Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D-IL/2nd)
• Karen Bass (D-CA/33rd)
• G. K. Butterfield (D-NC/1st)
• Donna Christensen (D-VI/At Large)
• Hansen Clarke (D-MI/13th)
• Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY/11th)
• Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO/1st )
• John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI/14th)
• Barbara Lee (D-CA/9th)
• John Lewis (D-GA/5th)
• Donald M. Payne (D-NJ/10th)
• Charles B. Rangel (D-NY/15th)
• Cedric Richmond (D-LA/2nd)
• Bobby Scott (D-VA/3rd)
• Bennie Thompson (D-MS/2nd)
• Frederica Wilson (D-FL/17th)

“Each generation needs people who are willing to serve,” said John Lewis, representative of Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, in the release.

“Juan Thomas is one among his generation dedicated to serving people. He will stand for working class families, for parents who can’t afford to send their children to college, and for seniors who rely on Social Security and Medicare.”

According to the release, Thomas campaign received a $5,000 contribution – the maximum allowed under federal law – from Bridge PAC, the Leadership PAC of Congressman James Clyburn (SC/6th), Assistant Democratic Leader in the House of Representatives.

All of Woodridge lies in the 11th district except for the Internationale Estates, which are part of the 3rd district. The 11th district also covers portions of Oswego, Montgomery, Plainfield, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Woodridge, Darien, Channahon, Shorewood, Joliet and Naperville, among other communities.

Thomas, a Democrat and former Aurora Township Clerk, announced his candidacy in August. A born-and-raised Auroran, he returned to the city in April after spending 18 months working with a church in New Orleans.

A lawyer with his own practice, he has deep roots in Aurora. His father owned a small business there for 25 years, and Thomas has been an elected official there since 1995. At 25, he became the youngest person ever elected to the West Aurora School Board.

He ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 1998, worked for Secretary of State Jesse White in the early 2000s, and went on to serve on the Aurora Township Board as clerk from 2005 to 2009. Thomas is also an ordained minister who works with churches in Aurora.

Thomas has plenty of competition for the 11th district. , a Democrat; 14th District Congressman Bill Foster, a Democrat; Republican ; and Chris Balkema, a Republican Grundy County Board member, have also announced their bids for the seat.

Editor's note: Patch LE Andre Salles contributed to this report.