Halvorson Gets Endorsement From Pastors in the Second District

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s political rival Debbie Halvorson just gained some important allies in her attempt to take his seat in next year's election.

Visits to churches all over the 2nd Congressional District have paid off, as Halvorson now has the support of more than 20 clergy members in the area, according to a Monday press release from her campaign.

"Clergy are the gateway to the African-American community," said Halvorson's public relations manager Sean Howard. "The collective group speaks to congregations that total in the tens of thousands of residents of the 2nd Congressional District."

Here is a list of pastors officially endorsing Halvorson.

• Bishop Lance L. Davis          
• Apostle Gregory Jacobs                       
• Bishop Robert Sanders         
• Pastor Ronnie Lee                       
• Bishop Louis Jackson           
• Pastor William Jenkins                       
• Bishop Gregory Brewton       
• Pastor Edward Little                       
• Apostle Carl White                 
• Pastor William Staten, Sr.           
• Apostle Marshall Davis           
• Pastor Antonio Davis                       
• Apostle William McCoy           
• Pastor Douglass Moye           
• Pastor Willie L. Lowe              
• Rev. Dr. Alexis Felder           
• Apostle Gregory Jacobs          
• Pastor Tyrone Crider
• Pastor Cornelius Ogundele     
• Pastor Anthony Williams
• Pastor James Sims                 
• Pastor Willie Cotton
• Pastor Miguel Davis      

“I’m proud to offer my support to Debbie Halvorson," said Bishop Robert Sanders of the Third Jurisdiction Prelate of the Churches of God in Christ. "Debbie has an outstanding relationship with clergymen throughout southern Cook County and beyond. What she accomplished in delivering 7,000 jobs to the Joliet economy in just two short years in Congress is exactly what we need in this district.”

One of the pastors on the list, Anthony Williams, may sound familiar. He ran against Jackson in 2006 as a Libertarian and in 2008 as a Republican, snagging 10.8 percent of the votes in the latter election. Williams also ran as a Democrat in 2002.              

U.S. Rep. Jackson's office had no comments on the endorsement.