The Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest is compiled by David Nir, Jeff Singer, Stephen Wolf, and Carolyn Fiddler, with additional contributions from David Jarman, Steve Singiser, Daniel Donner, James Lambert, David Beard, and Arjun Jaikumar.
Leading Off
● IL-04: Wow. It’s rare we ever say this, so you know we mean it when we tell you that this new TV ad from nonprofit director Sol Flores is a must-watch. The spot starts off prosaically enough: Flores, who narrates the ad herself, begins by saying, “My art teacher asked me why I was building a chest. I was 11.” Footage recreating the scene (“1984 Chicago”) rolls by, and at this point, perhaps, you might expect the box to be a metaphor for Flores’ hopes, or maybe you’re anticipating that the teacher said something dismissive.
Just keep watching. Flores goes on: “And I didn’t tell anyone that a man living with us would come into my bedroom when I was asleep and lift my nightgown. Well, I filled that chest with the heaviest things I could find, and I put it against that door”—here, we see Flores herself in her actual childhood bedroom, pointing to the door—”to wake me up so I could fight him off.” Just wow. She concludes, “I’m Sol Flores, and I’ve dedicated my life to youth who need help. I approve this message, because I’ll fight as hard for you in Congress as I did to protect myself.” Flores has also posted a web video with a longer version of her story.
Flores is running in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 4th Congressional District, an open and safely blue seat in Chicago. She’s a heavy underdog to Cook County Commissioner Chuy Garcia, who has a big edge in polling, fundraising, and endorsements.