Former Vice President Joe Biden to campaign in metro-east with Kelly, Pritzker

The Brendan Kelly campaign is getting a treat on Halloween.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to campaign in East. St. Louis with the Democratic St. Clair County state’s attorney hoping to unseat U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro.

The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at the Iron Workers Local 392 union hall at 2985 Kingshighway in East St. Louis. Doors are scheduled to open at 2 p.m.

Biden early in the general election season endorsed Kelly’s election.

Also scheduled to be at the rally is Democratic gubernatorial nominee J.B. Pritzker, U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Moline), attorney general nominee Kwame Raoul, and state Treasurer Mike Frerichs.

The Cook Political Report listed the district as leaning Republican. The race had previously been considered a toss-up with several polls reporting Bost at only a 1 percentage point lead, but a recent poll by the New York Times had Bost leading by nine points. The Times did not include Green Party candidate Randy Auxier in the poll.

With a close election expected on Nov. 6, both Bost and Kelly have both welcomed big names to the district.

Earlier this month, Kelly campaigned with Georgia Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights icon, at a Get Out the Vote rally in East St. Louis.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to campaign Saturday with Bost in Murphysboro. Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker Paul Ryan have each headlined fundraisers in O’Fallon for Bost. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue also visited the district for a town hall with farmers on Wednesday.

Editors note: Reporter Joseph Bustos is not related to the congresswoman.

Reporter Kelsey Landis contributed to this report.