The Alliance for Retired Americans plans to announce its endorsement of Bill Enyart, the Democratic nominee for the 12th U.S. House seat, on Wednesday during a membership event set to start at 2:30 p.m. at Teamsters Local 50, 1609 N. Illinois St., Belleville.
Enyart opposes plans to privatize Medicare and Social Security, and he supports the health care reform law known as the Affordable Care Act. The Alliance for Retired Americans represents over 4 million retirees and community activists, including more than 240,000 in Illinois, according to the group's web site.
Enyart, 63, is a Belleville attorney and former commander of the Illinois National Guard who retired in June with the rank of two-star general. Enyart is running against GOP nominee Jason Plummer, 30, a Fairview Heights real estate developer, and Green Party nominee Paula Bradshaw, 59, a Carbondale emergency room nurse, in the Nov. 6 election.
The three candidates are seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, who is retiring after 24 years in office.
The 12th U.S. House District embraces a dozen Southern Illinois counties, running in the north from Alton in Madison County to Cairo, in Alexander County, the state's most southern tip.
