Eric Sorensen, a former meteorologist with 13 WREX in Rockford, will run for Congress in the 17th District. (Photo provided)
By Steve Summers and Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Former meteorologist Eric Sorensen, who spent 11 years delivering forecasts in the Rockford area for 13 WREX, is running for Congress in the 17th District.

The Rockford native joins a growing field of candidates looking succeed U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, who is not seeking reelection after her fifth term.

Sorensen, 45, wants to be an antidote for some of the mistrust people have in their politicians.

“One of the things I asked myself was, ‘Why don’t we trust Congress?’ Why do we have this disdain for people in Congress?” Sorensen said in an interview with Steve Summers this morning on 95.3 The Bull, a partner with the Rock River Current. “I think it’s because we don’t get to know the people that go there. They haven’t earned our trust before they go.”

Sorensen worked at WREX for 11 years before moving to the Quad Cities to work for WQAD-TV in 2014. In July, he left television to work for Unity Point Health in the Quad Cities.

He said fighting climate change will be one of his primary initiatives.

“There needs to be somebody with a background in science to be able to talk about the solutions to climate change,” he told Summers. “I think climate is a big 10,000 piece puzzle. We just got to be able to put together the pieces.”

Health care and education will be two other focuses, he said.

“Somebody who’s in grade school today may be making that discovery about tornadoes in 20 years that means we can evacuate a town before the tornado comes through,” he said.

Rockford Alderman Jonathan Logemann and Rock Island County Board member Angie Normoyle, both Democrats, previously announced their candidacies. Former state Rep. Litesa Wallace also announced her bid for the district on Wednesday. State Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Loves Park, is also considering a run.

On the Republican side of the ticket, Esther Joy King, who lost a race to Bustos in 2020, has said she will run again, and Charlie Helmick, a U.S. Marine veteran and former police officer, announced his candidacy.

The primary election is scheduled for June 28.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas. 

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