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As your trusted neighbor in Congress, I know that the small things in our community can add up to big change.

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My parents were married in Peoria, I grew up in Rockford, and when it was time to buy my first home, I planted my roots in Moline. And for nearly two decades in Rockford and then the Quad Cities, I was proud to be the trusted meteorologist my neighbors could rely on to to keep our communities safe. At every step, I’ve been surrounded by hard working neighbors who taught me the value of lending a helping hand and looking out for one another. Those lessons stick with me to this day.

Roots

<h2>A Good Neighbor</h2>I came out while at Northern Illinois University and received tremendous support from my friends and family. Now, I’m dedicated to giving back to the neighborhoods that accepted me for who I am.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/771bce10-b7fd-4cd9-ad5b-623110493be8/702ae441-d729-45e4-b18d-e97bbd883a8f/702ae441-d729-45e4-b18d-e97bbd883a8f.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=1576%2C0%2C5186%2C4389&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">I worked with state and federal partners to reopen the idled Belvidere Assembly Plant and secure a commitment to bring thousands of good-paying jobs home to the Rockford area. I lead on legislation to keep jobs at the Rock Island Arsenal, lower costs for families, and I’m focused on making sure everyone has the chance to succeed. As a good neighbor, I’m listening to all our communities, big and small, to deliver the support needed to make sure we have clean drinking water, create jobs, and keep our communities safe, healthy, and affordable for the future. Today, I live in Moline with my partner, Shawn, and our two dogs, Oliver and Petey. We love bike riding, kayaking, and trying good food around the Quad Cities.

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Every day, I will keep fighting to deliver new, critical wins for my neighbors in IL-17. Here are just a few recent accomplishments for the district that I’m proud of:

Legislative Wins for Illinois’ 17th

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I need your help now more than ever. The midterms will be here before you know it, and the forecast is that they'll be a whirlwind. We could really use your help to weather the storm.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/771bce10-b7fd-4cd9-ad5b-623110493be8/8e12886a-7744-406c-9fc1-e8912061c73a/8e12886a-7744-406c-9fc1-e8912061c73a.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=1853%2C93%2C4635%2C4117&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="center" alignwidth="30" variant="base">

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Please find recent photos of Eric <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/16_fUiwA67qHCHGVM7zmNLtUa3dwQX7R_" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">by clicking here.</a>Please find recent video of Eric <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai9-u_UYdrs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">by clicking here.</a>For press-related inquiries, reach out to <a href="mailto:press@ericforillinois.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">press@ericforillinois.com</a>.

From Main Street to your street, it’s my honor to help keep things working around IL-17. That’s why I’m proud to have secured funding for:

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I did every day as your meteorologist, and that’s why in Congress I've work to be a good neighbor to everyone in the 17th District and make sure my office is transparent and responsive.&nbsp;Since becoming your Representative in Congress, I have:

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I need your help now more than ever. The primaries and general election will be here before you know it, and the forecast is that they'll be a whirlwind. We could really use your help to weather the storm.I also want your feedback! Make sure to leave a note for me on what we're doing right, what we can do better, and even how you might be willing to help fight for our values.Thank you!

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Our communities are special. We have a unique way of life here and I want to make sure we preserve it for future generations. I didn’t come to Congress as a politician. I came as your local meteorologist, your trusted voice, focused on tackling real problems with common-sense, bipartisan solutions. I’m working for the people and the place I love, and that’s why I’m running.

Why I'm Running

<h2>Illinois Roots</h2><img src="https://run.imgix.net/771bce10-b7fd-4cd9-ad5b-623110493be8/ab64435b-8670-4618-b015-f67a521d81a8/ab64435b-8670-4618-b015-f67a521d81a8.avif?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=54%2C17%2C314%2C289&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="32" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">My parents were married in Peoria, I grew up in Rockford, and when it was time to buy my first home, I planted my roots in Moline. At every step, I’ve been surrounded by hard working neighbors who taught me the value of lending a helping hand and looking out for one another. Those lessons stick with me to this day.For nearly two decades in Rockford and then the Quad Cities, I was proud to be the trusted meteorologist my neighbors could rely on to to keep our communities safe.Now, I’ve taken that same trust to Congress, fighting to make sure every one of my neighbors has the same chance to work hard and succeed, right here in Central and Northwestern Illinois.

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I will always defend our seniors and protect their ability to retire with dignity. I am committed to opposing any legislation that privatizes or makes any cuts to Social Security and Medicare. I also support efforts to increase Social Security benefits for seniors and make the program solvent for future generations.

I will always defend our seniors and protect their ability to retire with dignity. I am committed to opposing any legislation that privatizes or makes any cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

Supporting Seniors and Social Security

I believe our communities in Central and Northwestern Illinois should never be left behind when it comes to the infrastructure families depend on each and every day. That’s why I’ve delivered historic investments to ensure parents in every corner of our district can pour their kid a glass of water and know it’s safe to drink.In addition, I’ve has also brought home tax dollars to put Illinoisans to work fixing roads and bridges and building housing to make our communities resilient for the next generation.

I believe our communities in Central and Northwestern Illinois should never be left behind when it comes to the infrastructure families depend on each and every day.

Strengthening Local Infrastructure

I came to Congress after earning the trust of my neighbors as their meteorologist for over two decades. I built that trust with my neighbors by focusing on keeping people safe, by informing them daily about the weather, and always telling the truth. In Congress, I will always continue to looking out for my neighbors by making government work better for Illinois.

I came to Congress after earning the trust of my neighbors as their meteorologist for over two decades. In Congress, I will always continue to looking out for my neighbors by making government work better for Illinois.

Making Government Work for Illinois

Out here, we support our law enforcement, because we know that police officers have tough jobs and often work on strained budgets to keep our communities safe. That’s why I’ve led the effort in Congress to deliver millions to local police departments in Central and Northwestern Illinois.Working across the aisle, I secured $847,000 funding for equipment and construction of a new police training center in Winnebago County to benefit officers in our region. And to stop the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl, I introduced bipartisan legislation to increase funding for fentanyl screening at the border and resources for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to go after traffickers.

Out here, we support our law enforcement, because we know that police officers have tough jobs and often work on strained budgets to keep our communities safe.

Supporting Public Safety and Law Enforcement

QUAD CITIES, Ill. (KWQC) - Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen reintroduced two bipartisan bills to help improve internet access in rural communities.In a press conference Monday, he discussed the Rural Broadband Assistance Act and ReConnecting Rural America Act.Sorensen said these pieces of legislation aim to limit disruptions on rural community’s daily lives.“It’s not just children doing homework. It’s senior citizens that are doing those doctor’s visits from home now on their smartphones. We can’t do precision agriculture if you don’t have broadband. And so this really puts us at a disservice if we can’t get something like this done,” he said.The first piece of legislation aim to help smaller communities hire grant writers.“Quite simply, what we know now is not every city in our district, in Illinois 17 can afford to have or hire a grant writer,” Sorensen said. “In fact, there are many of those folks that need to write the grants that are driving the lawnmower in in the City Park today.”The second piece of legislation aims to strengthen the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Reconnect program.“I’m thinking about how we can make sure that Morrison has what it needs, how can we make sure that Mount Carroll and Savannah and Monmouth have what they need to succeed,” he said.Rep. Eric Sorensen held a town hall after his rural broadband bill was reintroduced in the House. He says it'll help students, seniors and farmers.The ReConnecting Rural America Act was introduced by Iowa Rep. Zach Nunn.Copyright 2025 KWQC. All rights reserved.

Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen reintroduced two bipartisan bills to help improve internet access in rural communities. In a press conference Monday, he discussed the Rural Broadband Assistance Act and ReConnecting Rural America Act.

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Rural broadband bill helps students, seniors and farmers, Rep. Sorensen says

I support codifying Roe v. Wade and permanently restoring a woman’s right to choose into law. That’s why I’ve helped introduce legislation to make abortion care accessible nationwide.I’m also working to ensure Illinois remains a good neighbor in providing safe, legal reproductive care by protecting the freedom of patients to travel across state lines for health services and ensuring Illinois clinics have the support they need.

I support codifying Roe v. Wade and permanently restoring a woman’s right to choose into law.

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Protecting Reproductive Rights

Growing up in northwestern Illinois, I know firsthand how important a strong job market is to keeping folks in our communities. That’s why I’m working to ensure there are good-paying jobs right here in Central and Northwestern Illinois. I’ve worked to reopen the idled Belvidere auto plant and got a commitment for more than a thousand of new jobs and billions of dollars in investment right here in Illinois. I’ve also introduced bills to protect jobs at the Rock Island Arsenal and ensure the base employs Illinoisans for decades to come.

Growing up in northwestern Illinois, I know firsthand how important a strong job market is to keeping folks in our communities.

Creating Jobs and Lowering Costs for Illinois

I believe that everyone should have access to quality and affordable health care, and that coverage shouldn’t be a matter of income or the population of your hometown.I am focused on lowering the cost of prescription drugs for working families and seniors by protecting and expanding Medicare’s ability to negotiate prescription drug prices and he has introduced legislation to crack down on big pharma delay tactics that increase prices. I will always work to defend and improve the Affordable Care Act to protect health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

I believe that everyone should have access to quality and affordable health care, and that coverage shouldn’t be a matter of income or the population of your hometown.

Cutting the Cost of Healthcare/Prescription Drugs

We must honor the sacrifices of our veterans and their families. I have introduced legislation to increase grants to help disabled veterans afford home accessibility upgrades, such as ramps for wheelchairs and other improvements.

Supporting Veterans

Two-term Rep. Eric Sorensen, Democrat of Illinois, made his name as a meteorologist in the western part of the state for over two decades, so it’s ironic, really, that he’s kept a relatively low profile in Congress, especially compared to the TV personalities Donald Trump has stocked his second administration with.Sorensen is no Road Rules warrior (see Sean Duffy, the reality TV star and fellow Midwesterner now leading the Department of Transportation and a fixture on Fox News).The affable, out congressman took time from his busy schedule to talk about the political division Trump is sowing and to share some commonsense solutions to the problems his constituents and the country are facing. He spoke from his home in Moline.LGBTQ Nation: You were born and raised in America’s heartland, and your parents met and started their family in Peoria, known since vaudeville days as a barometer for what plays with American audiences. It’s part of your congressional district now. How is President Trump playing in Peoria today?Rep. Eric Sorensen: Look, I mean, this politics of division is not what Middle America likes and not what they signed up for. This part of Middle America, it’s not that it’s even bipartisan: it’s non-partisan. It’s like, people just hate politics on both sides, and they’re just looking for who is going to do the work to help them. That was one of the reasons why I was elected.You know, in Western Illinois, a lot of people said, “Oh, there’s no way that the gay climate guy is ever going to win that seat.” And I’m like, I was the weatherman on TV. People knew who I was. They knew my family looked different. They didn’t care. They just wanted somebody that was going to speak truth to them, somebody who has already earned the trust.And what they’re seeing today is this president is not trustworthy because of what he’s not doing for farmers, what he’s not doing for the working class, and what he’s not doing for veterans.You were elected in 2022 by a four-point margin and increased it to almost 10 points in 2024, but that still leaves a lot of Republicans among your constituency. What are the values that Trump possesses which appeal to his voters, and what are the values your voters associate with you? And is there any crossover?Look, the reason why I doubled my margin, even with the headwind of Donald Trump, was because I’ve never been afraid to go to small town Middle America —&nbsp;the towns where the population sign is less than 5000 — and talk with people about what they want to talk about, not what I want to talk about. I’m not going into these small towns saying, “Hey, I got the answers.” It’s listening to people, it’s caring for them, and then it’s doing right by them.And those are the things that we need to understand how to do in order to not just win elections, but to get rid of MAGA, to get rid of the hate that is really flaring up. You know, we can’t just sit idly by while the hate fuels up in the towns where we don’t live.The Trump administration unleashed a shock and awe campaign of executive orders starting on January 20. A lot of them were performative and don’t have the force of law without Congress actually enacting laws to make them happen. From your seat in Congress, how united are Republicans behind Trump’s agenda, and what can Democrats in Congress do to block it?Look, I just sat down and had lunch with a couple of Republican mayors in my district. What’s amazing is they’re talking about the same things that I’m talking about. It’s about lowering the cost of food at the grocery store. It’s about opening up opportunities. It’s about making sure that people are attached to good healthcare. These are unifying things.But let’s be honest. Whenever Donald Trump and the far-right start bringing up trans issues, let’s understand what that is: it’s a trap, a shiny object, and it is solely put out there to get our attention, to get people riled up, especially in the far-right.And then what happens is we don’t focus on how they’re whittling away at the foundation of democracy. They bring up these shiny objects basically to get us to look away from what they’re doing. &nbsp;All the while, they’re stealing us blind because they’re stealing away from the poor and the middle class and giving money to millionaires and billionaires.You were appointed to the House Armed Services Committee for the 119th Congress. Have you interacted with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and what’s your impression of him?He’s not qualified for the job, but I wasn’t in the Senate to be able to vote “no”. I’m in the House, and being on Armed Services, I’m hopeful that we will see him come to committee.You know, I want to figure out how war plans went through a group chat. I have heard the stories of trans service members and trans veterans, and also I hear from service members today that say, “I don’t care who’s fighting next to me, as long as they’re capable and ready to defend,” right?When politics enters into the official work, I keep everything separated. The politics is on one part —&nbsp;I have a giant brick wall — and then the official business is on the other side.The problem that we have today, and especially with Pete Hegseth and with Donald Trump, is they’re playing politics with everything. It not only is clouded morals and no ethics, but now we’re starting to see where some of the executive orders that are coming through are unlawful. And so we need to push back in the courts, and we need to push back in Congress.The 2024 election revealed some fissures among Democrats over trans rights. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, for one, is questioning the fairness of allowing trans girls to participate in girls’ sports. What’s been your evolution on this question, and where do you stand on it now?I haven’t evolved. I am the first LGBTQ person that Illinois has ever sent to Washington. And I’ve heard from people saying, “I’m fine with gay people,” and here’s the reason why, and I think we have to be very clear at communicating this: when my partner Shawn and I go out to dinner, the people in my community see a gay couple sitting down for dinner. We’re present. The thing is, when we go out to dinner with our trans couple friends, okay, they look like straight people. There are trans people all around us all the time. And you know what? People don’t know, and that’s, I think, one of the issues here.There are trans people in every one of our communities, and most people on the right, they just don’t know it. And so we have to make sure that our diversity is our strength, and that’s what I hear from my constituents. And it may sound like a shock, but in the Midwest and in Western Illinois, you know what? Our diversity is our family value.You’ve made your history as a TV meteorologist part of your brand. From that perspective, how do you feel about Trump stocking his administration with TV personalities like Dr. Oz at Medicare and Medicaid, Real World cast member Sean Duffy leading the Transportation Department, Dr. Phil accompanying ICE agents on raids in Chicago, and a Fox and Friends host as Secretary of Defense?Okay, these people just don’t have the requirements if you look at their resumes. Just because you’re on television doesn’t mean that you’re going to be good at that job. Now, having said that, I was on television. However, I was the meteorologist, communicating complex issues in a way that people would understand. I wasn’t just telling them when something was happening, but why, and that’s the reason why I was elected to Congress.We need more of those people that come with a scientific background, that come with the communication skills to be able to do these jobs, and communicate what works and what doesn’t work, as opposed to this administration, which will appoint anyone who’s just going to be a “yes man.”Straight out of college at 22, you headed to South Texas for your first job as a TV meteorologist, and you were fired. What happened?Yeah, actually, my contract wasn’t renewed. I was told that because of the morals clause in my contract, they didn’t want a gay meteorologist on television in Tyler, Texas. And so that forced me to figure out what was my next move. My next move was going from getting paid $42,000 in Texas to moving to Rockford, Illinois, my hometown, and getting paid $30,000.But I’ll tell you what: my experience of living in East Texas made me a better person, feeling and understanding that adversity. Moving back to my hometown, where now I get to serve in Congress, made me a better person. And so that was one of the things back in the day in 2003 that I couldn’t see the value in, the experience that I was having to go through. But now I do. And that is the key quality that all of us have, that LGBTQ people have, that a lot of other people don’t: we know how to beat it.You have decades of experience reporting on the climate and describe yourself as a “climate geek”. What’s the single most important thing the world should do to address the climate crisis?We have to cut CO2. That’s first and foremost in everything that we do, whether that’s in the automotive sector or transportation. For instance, one of the things that I’m working on with our farmers in Western Illinois is creating the pipeline for us —&nbsp;forgive the pun —&nbsp;to be able to produce sustainable aviation fuel. We’re going to grow the aviation fuel that’s going to be put on the airliners and the jets that we fly on. It’s technology that is going to better the next generation. But it also means that the young kids that are growing up in 4H and the Future Farmers of America will have a future on their farm, on their family farm.Would you support national mandatory service for young people in the military, or some other form of public service of their choosing, like the Peace Corps or Teach for America?My idea is to connect student loan forgiveness to service. For instance, if somebody wants to go into medicine, they work at the VA. If they want to work in Community Healthcare, you put in five years of concurrent service in our rural healthcare, where we can’t get people to go. Those are the things that I would support to help people. &nbsp;In 2022, you posted to social, “Thank you to all members of Congress who voted to enshrine my ability to be married to the partner I love,” after President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act. And you’ve been very public about sharing your home with your partner Shawn, along with your two pups, Oliver and Petey. But I couldn’t find the words “married” or “husband” in any of my research for this interview. Have you put a ring on it, and if not, what are you waiting for?(Laughing) So I will tell you, we joke in our home, “We’ve only been together 17 years.” But it’s one of those things where we will be there when we need to be, if we feel that this administration or anyone is going to come after our rights. And I know we’re not going to be alone. If the adversity is going to come home to us, we’re going to be there standing on the steps of the courthouse, and we know there’s going to be dozens, if not hundreds, of our friends doing the same thing.What’s the best thing about representing the constituents of Illinois District 17 in Congress?I tell you what: it’s really being who I am, right? The people that got to know me over the years, they come up to me and they welcome me. They say, “Hey, Eric!” in the parking lot of the grocery store. That’s a far cry from when I was 14 and I was in high school, and I was being bullied for who I was, and I was getting knocked down.And I’ll tell you what, there is something about being able to serve your hometown in Congress, because guess what? All of those bullies that I had in high school, they have one member of the House of Representatives, and now I get to be that person. This story was originally published on LGBTQ Nation: <a href="https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/05/rep-eric-sorensen-lost-a-job-for-being-gay-it-made-him-a-better-person-now-hes-in-congress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/05/rep-eric-sorensen-lost-a-job-for-being-gay-it-made-him-a-better-person-now-hes-in-congress/</a>

Two-term Rep. Eric Sorensen, Democrat of Illinois, made his name as a meteorologist in the western part of the state for over two decades, so it’s ironic, really, that he’s kept a relatively low profile in Congress, especially compared to the TV personalities Donald Trump has stocked his second administration with.

Rep. Eric Sorensen lost a job for being gay. It made him a “better person” &amp; now he’s in Congress.

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U.S. Congressman from IL-17, serving my hometown. Former TV Meteorologist for 22+ years.

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