Representative Scherer Votes Against Marriage Equality. Begs for Primary Challenge.

In August I wrote about Illinois State Representative Sue Scherer’s noncommittal comments on the same sex marriage proposal and the grassroots campaign to encourage a yes vote. As locals who follow the issue already know, she voted against the bill. Thankfully, Illinois still approved marriage equality without her help!

She must have felt strongly about the issue because it’s difficult to see any political advantage to her vote. She represents a strongly Democratic gerrymandered district where being liberal would only make her re-election easier.

But, this isn’t the only issue where she seems uninterested in representing the district. She hasn’t been visibly outspoken on public employee pensions, which is inexcusable for someone representing so many state workers in the Springfield and Decatur area.

Additionally, she has one of the worst environmental records in legislature. Her mediocre 57% IEC rating is worse than it sounds since most of the environmental votes this year were largely non-controversial issues that passed by overwhelming margins. Even notoriously anti-environment Republicans, such as Mike Bost, ranked better on this year's scorecard than Scherer. It's hard to imagine why she's opposed to letting cities plan green stormwater management or why she voted against expanding energy efficiency programs.

Her voting record might be appropriate in a conservative Republican district, but her failure to vote with the Democratic district she represents has many residents looking forward to her primary election in March.