Ottawa lawyer withdraws from race

Ottawa attorney Chris Minelli this week pulled out of the crowded race in the 16th Congressional District.

The Democrat announced his decision Monday on Facebook.

In a message to The Times, Minelli said he could not raise money and inspire people to help him collect petition signatures and volunteer for his campaign like his competitors could.

"Groups that took my petition and promised to collect signatures would not return them after repeated requests," he said. "Without that support, it was becoming obvious my presence was burdening Democratic efforts to unseat (incumbent) Adam Kinzinger."

He said it was best that he stepped aside so a "viable candidate" could continue.

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank everyone who supported my campaign and I wish you all well," Minelli said in the Facebook post. "I'm taking a few weeks off from politics, but starting January 1, 2018, I will be working with my local organizations in La Salle County to support the remaining federal and state Democratic candidates all the way through November."

He said he would not endorse anyone in the March 20 Democratic primary. He said he would support the Democratic candidate against Kinzinger, R-Channahon.

In an interview earlier this year, Minelli said he favored keeping the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, until the nation could create a universal health-care system. He also said the tax system was too complicated and needed to be simplified to the point where people could file their taxes on a postcard.

Minelli was one of the first candidates to announce. The other four Democratic candidates are Nathan Arroyave, of Rockford; Ottawa native Amy Murri Briel, now of Joliet; Sara Dady,of Rockford; and Neill Mohammad, of DeKalb. Besides Kinzinger, four Republicans have indicated they are running as candidates in the GOP primary, according to the Federal Election Commission. They are Jason Haskell, of Peru; Zane Marshall, of Rockford; James Marter, of Oswego; and Colin McGroarty, of Rockford. Independent candidate Bronco Bojovic, of Morris, also is listed on the FEC website.

In May, Minelli said if he won the primary, he would need a budget of $1.5 million to run a "legitimate challenge" against Kinzinger.

As of Sept. 30, Kinzinger had $1.8 million in his campaign account. That dwarfs the leading Democratic fundraiser, Mohammad, who had $55,000. Minelli had $16,000.

Minelli, like other candidates, criticized Kinzinger's decision to stop conducting traditional town halls. Town halls are public meetings where attendees can ask direct questions or give direct comment to politicians.

In the last year, Kinzinger, who said in a previous campaign he would host town halls where he takes direct questions and comments from constituents, has not held any this year. Kinzinger has hosted open meetings where questions were presented through a moderator. He has spoken directly with citizens at events not considered open to the public.

"You need to get out there and get yelled at," Minelli said in the May interview. "I want to talk with people who aren't Democrats."