Kelly said she’d received an outpouring of support since taking over the party. 

“People have been great, and people want to be helpful in moving the party along,” she said. “We cannot take anything for granted; that’s how we had (Donald) Trump as president. People have to vote in every election, and that’s something that I’m really going to push. It helps build the bench when you do that.”

Part of Kelly’s agenda is recruiting Democratic candidates and the supporters and volunteers needed to get them elected. 

“I want to get more people involved,” she said. 

Kelly has confidence Democrats can hold onto the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline, who announced she will not run for reelection in November 2022. Kelly said she’d get involved after a candidate was chosen following the March 2022 primary election. 

“I have faith we’ll find someone, and I know Cheri will have her (say) in that also,” Kelly said. “We all want this district to remain Democratic, of course. If we find the right person, I do think we can keep the seat. Cheri worked hard and other people worked hard to help Cheri have the resources she needed to keep the seat, and we’ll do that again.”

With millions of dollars flooding into Illinois municipalities from the American Rescue Plan Act, Kelly said the state is on its way to economic recovery after suffering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.