South West Illinois News

Republican Representative Paul Jacobs visited the Brehm Preparatory School during a fundraiser as thousands of Illinoisans vote for the general election.

“You never know who’s showing up at these events,” Jacobs wrote on Facebook. “Many of my friends dealing with Veterans or autism or severe attention disorders and on and on. Great night, and it looked like a very successful fundraiser!”

The visit to the preparatory school comes after Illinois Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey made controversial comments that landed him in the headlines.

Brehm Preparatory Academy is a small, fully accredited, not-for-profit coeducational boarding school for students with learning differences. It limits enrollment to fewer than 100 students in grades 6-12. The school was founded in 1982, by Carol Brehm and a small group of professionals in the learning disability field.

Jacobs will face Democrat candidate Van Ikner on the ballot in November.

Brehm creates an Individual Holistic Education Program (IHEP) for each student who is accepted to the school. Each student is also assigned to a faculty advisor.

Ikner is campaigning to protect women’s bodily autonomy and bring new businesses like hemp farming, to name a few.

“Regardless [of] if you’re a Republican, Democrat, Green or independent, I want an opportunity to represent all of us here in Southern Illinois,” Ikner said to The Daily Egyptian. “I want to bring people to the table to form a power structure that allows us to experience group economics and politics.”

In recent weeks, Jacobs has picked up several endorsements, including one from Rep. Blaine Wilhour.

"I am proud to have the support of my good friend and fellow Southern Illinois Republican State Representative Blaine Wilhour in my race for re-election," Jacobs posted on Facebook. "Blaine is a strong advocate for the conservative agenda, and fights to protect life, and our Second Amendment Rights. Thank you, Blaine!"