Political Quotes

On the recordMarch 27, 2025
some people come to Congress to check a box, collect a credential, and then head to where the big bucks are: lobbying firms. For others, working as a Capitol Hill staffer is part of a lifetime of public service. Kevin Cronin was one of the latter types. He believed in public service, and I consider myself lucky that Kevin chose to work for me. It was during my years in the House of Representatives. Kevin was my lead staffer on the House Budget Committee. He was hard-working, clever, and smart as a whip. Sadly, Kevin passed away earlier this month in Cleveland, OH, the place where he grew up and where he first learned about politics and public service. Kevin was the middle son in a family of proud Irish American Democrats. Both of his parents were involved in the civil rights movement during the 1960s and 70s. His mom also was quite active in the women's movement. John Glenn, the astronaut hero turned U.S. Senator, was a family friend. So was ``Battling Bella'' Abzug. Kevin's father worked for Carl Stokes, the first Black mayor of Cleveland. His mother worked on campaigns for Jane Campbell, Cleveland's first woman mayor, and Mary Boyle, the first woman commissioner for Cuyahoga County. Kevin received his own introduction to shoe-leather politics when he was in middle school. He and his two brothers would knock on doors seeking to turn out the vote in elections.…
Said by
Dick Durbin
Democratic · Illinois

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