VOTE KUNKEL
WE NEED MEN, NOT SHEEP, EVER AGAIN IN ANY PARTY. DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN.
WHERE DID JOHN MCCAINS PEOPLE GO? BRING THEM BACK WHEN INTEGRITY AND COMPASSION AND SACRIFICE MEANT SOMTHING? WHEN DID THE WALLET MEANT MORE THAN COMPASSSION AND HONOR?
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Campaign Statement Draft: Standing Up for Integrity and Service"Where did John McCain's people go? Integrity and compassion and sacrifice. Did the wallet meant more than our country?"
Building on the opening question already on your page, here is a professional, powerful text draft for your website that connects your family's deep military roots to the core values of service, sacrifice, and standing up against disrespect.Why I Am Running: Honor, Family, and Country My name is Clemons Leon Kunkel, and my roots in service run deep. I am named after my uncle, Richard Clemons Kunkel, who gave his life in war. My father proudly served our nation for 22 years in the United States Marine Corps. Growing up in a military family, I learned early on that public service is a sacred duty—one built on sacrifice, honor, and putting country ahead of personal profit.That is why I am standing up to run for office. We need leaders who understand what it means to put duty over self-interest, and who refuse to stay silent when our foundational values are compromised.Remembering True Courage
Look at what has happened to our political discourse. When political figures disparage the ultimate sacrifices made by military families—calling those who serve and fall "suckers and losers"—it strikes at the heart of everything America stands for. When leaders attack American heroes like Senator John McCain, dismissing his profound captivity and lifelong dedication to our nation, they dishonor every service member who ever wore the uniform.John McCain represented a brand of integrity, bipartisan compassion, and profound personal sacrifice that we are sorely lacking today. He endured unimaginable hardship for his country without ever losing his commitment to democratic principles. We cannot allow that standard of honor to be erased from our public life.Our Path Forward
My campaign is about returning decency, honesty, and true accountability to our government. We need leaders with real-world experience—builders who know how to fix what is broken, listen to working families, and stand firm against corruption.If you believe that character still matters in public office, and that our government should reflect the dignity and sacrifice of the people it represents, I ask for your support to help bring real integrity back home.JACKSONVILLE, IL — Author, builder, licensed pilot, grassroots activist, and 2028 Democratic
candidate Clemons Leon Kunkel is reconnecting with the Jacksonville community—where he
lived more than 40 years ago—to announce his campaign for the Illinois General Assembly,
highlight his new book release, and reflect on a life deeply shaped by west-central Illinois.
For Kunkel, Jacksonville was the foundation of his formative years. More than four decades ago, he learned the construction trade working alongside local builders Chip and Earl Wilson, and earned his wings in the skies above Morgan County under Chip Wilson's flight instruction, piloting aircraft including a Cessna 170 and a Piper Tomahawk. Despite holding only a 12th grade education, Kunkel brings over 40 years of practical, hands-on construction expertise honed through ground-up residential builds and community initiatives like Habitat for Humanity. That work ethic and discipline carried through a multifaceted career as a master builder, self
taught muralist featured in regional press (including coverage of his wall-sized elephant mural), and dedicated educator.
A prolific author of six books across science, philosophy, and children's literature, Kunkel is
spotlighting two major works connected to his civic mission:● Man-Made Climate Change! Made Super Easy to Understand: An educational volume connected to a public presentation he delivered at the Jacksonville Public Library.
●● The Price of Cruelty: How Rich Systems Starve the World: His newly published book on Amazon examining economic power, resource dominance, and the everyday struggles facing working families.Grassroots Engagement & Public Advocacy:
Kunkel brings creative energy and visual grassroots advocacy directly to the streets of Jacksonville. He participated in the Jacksonville "No Kings" March, demonstrating on drywall stilts, and engaged the community at Speaker's Corner at Central Park Plaza in downtown Jacksonville, where he documented civic dialogue and presentations featured on his Vote Kunkel YouTube channel. Through these public demonstrations, alongside hosting The Super Professor Podcast, Kunkel actively fosters grassroots participation and open community conversation.
Technology, Environmental Protection & Energy Priorities:
With a 40-year personal history working with computers and artificial intelligence, Kunkel offers
a clear-eyed perspective on emerging technological and environmental challenges. He voices
urgent concern regarding the massive water and resource consumption of expanding data
centers, warning against industrial developments that deplete and strain local water supplies.
Furthermore, Kunkel takes a firm, uncompromising stance against 'clean coal' marketing, calling
instead for honest energy solutions and authentic protection for Illinois communities and working
families.
As a builder with four decades in construction, Kunkel emphasizes that building codes exist to
protect community safety and sustainability—standards that data centers violate by depleting
vital local water supplies. Furthermore, despite corporate assurances of silent operations, data centers generate relentless, continuous noise that echoes through neighborhoods, depriving
local residents of sleep and proving initial quietness claims to be intentionally misleading. In
addition to demanding strict oversight on data center resource exploitation, Kunkel takes a firm,
uncompromising stance against 'clean coal' marketing, calling instead for honest energy
solutions and authentic protection for Illinois communities and working families.
Dedication to public service runs deep in the Kunkel family:● Multi-Generational Military Heritage: Ten Kunkel family members have served in the
United States Armed Forces, including his father, Henry Leon Kunkel, who completed a
22-year career in the United States Marine Corps.● A Sacred Namesake: He bears the name of his uncle, Richard Clemons Kunkel, who
made the ultimate sacrifice and gave his life protecting our nation. His uncle's service is
permanently engraved on the veterans memorial monument in nearby Mount Sterling,
Illinois.● 2028 General Assembly Bid: Grounded in this tradition of service, Kunkel has launched
his campaign for the 2028 Democratic primary for Illinois State Representative
(voteKunkel.com).
"Learning construction alongside Chip and Earl Wilson and earning my wings over Jacksonville
40 years ago instilled in me an enduring respect for this community," said Clemons Leon
Kunkel. "With my family's military legacy honored in Mount Sterling, giving climate presentations
at the Jacksonville Library, and releasing The Price of Cruelty, stepping up for the General
Assembly in 2028 is all about fighting for everyday working people."
High-resolution photos—including Mr. Kunkel speaking at the Jacksonville Public Library,
piloting aircraft, demonstrating on stilts at the "No Kings" march, honoring his namesake uncle
at the Mount Sterling veterans wall, historic military family photos, a regional newspaper clipping
featuring Kunkel pointing to his wall-sized elephant mural, and the official cover of The Price of
Cruelty—are attached for publication.-----------------------------------------------
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The Price of Cruelty!
Cruelty is never truly free. Someone always pays the price. The Price of Cruelty explores the human cost of injustice, division, and indifference while reminding us that compassion, dignity, and courage still matter. It is an invitation to look at the world honestly and ask what kind of future we want to leave behind.
