12th District Democratic candidate visits Lawrence County

Monday, July 27, 2026 at 1:51 PM

By Steve Anderson

The Democratic campaign for the Illinois 12th Congressional District seat was in Lawrence County.

Julie Fortier was the featured speaker at a Town Hall meeting Sunday, July 26th at the Lawrenceville Armory that was organized by the Lawrence County Democratic Committee. She is running for the seat currently held by incumbent Republican Mike Bost, who is seeking re-election to another term in Washington.

Fortier is from O'Fallon in western Illinois. She brings a varied background to the race. She is a U.S. Air Force veteran, a mother and also a cancer researcher.

She spoke with GIANT-FM News about her campaign. Fortier says that the 34 counties that comprise the district, including Lawrence deserve better and more accountable representation in the nation's capital. She went on to say that something must be done to make things more affordable for the working citizens of southern Illinois and more emphasis on helping agriculture and farming interests.