A campaign kick-off event for Paul Stoddard, a DeKalb County Board member who is running for state representative of the 70th Illinois house district in 2020, will take place Thursday 5:30 to 8 p.m. at 720 Somonauk St. in Sycamore. There, attendees can meet Stoddard and learn about him as a candidate.

Invited guests include U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood as well as Democratic State Central Committee members Kristina Zahorik, Peter Janko, Christine Benson and Tom P. Walsh, among others. There will also be live music provided by Six-Pack, a Sycamore-based rock and pop cover band.

Stoddard won the Democratic nomination for state representative in 2018, ultimately losing in the general election to incumbent Republican Jeff Keicher, who has not yet announced his re-election plans.

The event is organized by Citizens for Stoddard, a candidate committee.