In his re-election bid as East St. Louis mayor, Eastern pledges to ‘finish what I started’
East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III on Wednesday night officially kicked off his re-election campaign with a vow that he is “here to serve” the city’s residents.
“A servant leader always considers others before himself,” he said. “That’s what a mayor does.
“I have to listen to the hearts of people to make a city for them.”
Eastern, 52, spoke before a crowd of about 75 during what his campaign billed as his “official re-election fundraiser” at the Clyde C. Jordan Senior Citizen Center at 6755 State St.
He made his case to get another four years in office.
“We’re no longer one of the most violent cities in the country. We rebranded ourselves,” he said. “We call ourselves East ‘Safe’ Louis.”
He noted that one of new developments planned for the city include a new, $55 million district headquarters for the Illinois State Police.
Eastern said the city staff has worked relentlessly to help residents during the flooding that damaged dozens of homes in the city in July and that residents are now getting federal assistance after President Joe Biden signed a major disaster proclamation for Illinois.
In an interview after the rally, Eastern said he wants to be re-elected because, “I want to finish what I started.”
Along with the new police headquarters, he cited the planned redevelopment of the historic Broadview Hotel as one of the highlights of his tenure.
He credited federal and state lawmakers with helping to secure the public funding needed for the ISP and Broadview Hotel projects.
Yaphett El-Amin, the lead developer of the Broadview Hotel project, attended the rally Wednesday and praised Eastern for his efforts to support the Broadview redevelopment, which is now valued at $41 million. The project was previously estimated at $37.9 million.
The Broadview will have 110 units for people over 55. It also will have retail space.
“It is opening up the door for development to come,” El-Amin said.
Eastern, a former member of the city council, was elected mayor in 2019 when he defeated then-Mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks.
Eastern is the second candidate to publicize a campaign for mayor.
On Oct. 3, Marie Franklin, a local activist, announced that she will run for the office.
The election for municipalities and school boards will be April 4.
If five or more mayoral candidates file to run in East St. Louis, a primary would be conducted on Feb. 23. The filing period for East St. Louis candidates is Nov. 21-27.
The election for federal, state and county candidates is on Nov. 8. To read more about candidates in this election, check out the Belleville News-Democrat Voter Guide at bnd.com.
This story was originally published October 27, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
