The Candidate: Cheri Callahan Bustos
The Race: Democratic Party Candidate for the 17th Congressional District.
The Competition: Bobby Schilling
The Buzz: Bustos was a reporter at the Quad-City Times for nearly two decades and later worked as a director for Trinity Regional Health Systems. She went on to become vice president of public relations at IHS, one of the nation's largest nonprofit nondenominational health systems.
In 2007 she became alderwoman on the East Moline City Council but recently stepped down to run for Congress.
Bustos said she is running for Congress to achieve fair health care for all. She considers herself an advocate for the average citizen and the struggling family.
She has called out her opponent Bobby Schilling for being an extreme conservative who is attempting to exploit the middle class and senior citizens.
Bustos has gained publicity by being endorsed by high-profile political figures such as Sen. Dick Durbin.
