* Brian Brueggemann at the BND…
Monroe County Board Chairman Bob Elmore announced Tuesday that he plans to run for state representative as a Republican in the 116th Illinois House district.
The district currently is represented by Rep. Jerry Costello II, D-Smithton.
Elmore, a retired businessman who resides in Waterloo, said state lawmakers “have created an anti-business atmosphere and have made poor policy decisions.”
He said his campaign slogan is “Let’s Make Illinois Great Again.” […]
Elmore said Costello should not have voted in favor of Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, to again serve as House speaker.
“We need to give the voters a choice,” Elmore said. “Do they want to keep going the same way, or change the direction?
President Trump won that district by 36 points. Costello has a great ballot name and works hard, but this isn’t gonna be an easy race. Also, Elmore’s Monroe is the largest county in the district, counting for about 37 percent of ballots cast last year.
- Anon - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 9:46 am:
===Let’s Make Illinois Great Again.===
Rich, I hope you and our other reporters take him to task for this and ask him to specifically identify when when thought Illinois was great, and what made it great, and how he plans to get there.
Like, for example, is he referring to the days of free flowing political patronage? Or the days where no one made pension payments? Or the days back when Southern Illinois was full of Sundown towns? And murders were solved by convicting innocent black men to death?
- The Captain - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 9:49 am:
If I was Costello I would have spent the last two years beating the drum on the Governor’s closure of the Sparta World Shooting Complex until the drum broke. It’s both a local economic issue and a pro-gun issue.
- Collinsville Kevin - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 9:49 am:
Once this Elmore feller get in, little Jerry can always go back to being a cop in Sauget.
- Curl of the Burl - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 9:51 am:
Now this is who should have been recruited in 2016. I guess the phrase “better late than never” applies.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 9:56 am:
===ask him to specifically identify when when thought Illinois was great, and what made it great, and how he plans to get there.===
Because that worked so well last year. /s
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 9:57 am:
36 points is a lot. Elmore’s latching on to Trump reveals that he’s not in a coma.
- Moby - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 10:10 am:
= “Let’s Make Illinois Great Again.” =
Like when? 1817?
- Downstate commissioenr - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 10:10 am:
Another copycat using Trump’s slogan; not very smart. My opponent in the April election is doing the same thing, to much hilarity amongst local voters….
- just maybe - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 10:26 am:
This is a copycat version of Severin ran to beat Bradley. “Let’s make Southern Illinois great again” and started on the Madigan vote.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 11:04 am:
Did Trump only get a 2 year term…that headwind might not be on the ballot…just BigBrain and his “accomplishments”
1. Early release
2. Gut colleges and universities
3. Potholes
4. (you pick)
Elmore looks like a sure winner.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 11:37 am:
And he is just 79
- quincy - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 1:38 pm:
So is Rauner giving him the money to run. So Rauner can tell him what to do insaid of the people ho votes for him.by what I here he’s a good man. Until Rauner gets his finger nails in him and tells him what to do,Like hes tring now. To bad he’s using Trump’s saying
- Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 3:09 pm:
Where to begin….because my son lives in Waterloo, i get to follow Monroe pretty close. One of the lowest.poverty rates in the nation. You can count the number of African Americans that live there on two hands.jerry is gonna have to pull out all the stops. Randolph, home of a big prison, has been trending GOP. What little of St. CLAIR that was carved out cant be counted on.
What i read of his opponent, although he campaigned on being a conservative GOP, spends money like an east coast liberal. Just like Rauner. The question. Who is going to get their message out on who their opponent really is.
In the words of Jimmy the Greek: Pick em.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 7:34 pm:
Costello votes against tax hike.
Rauner signs tax hike.
Game over.
- Hello Dolly - Tuesday, Mar 7, 17 @ 10:09 pm:
Elmore is in his mid 70s and has only lived in district less than 10 years. I think he’s originally from Springfield area. He pulled out surprising win in County Board race two years ago mainly because he had an R behind his name in Monroe County which lately has a non-existent local Democrat party. Since he got on Board Elmore’s been known to sleep often during Board meetings.
Despite this, Elmore has a good chance of beating Costello in that district IF Rauner and GOP send him serious support. Costello is a Madigan supporter in an area where MJM is hated. I wonder if Costello eventually announces he won’t run for re-elect. Stay tuned.
- blue dog dem - Wednesday, Mar 8, 17 @ 2:23 am:
Dolly. I agree. costello for governor.
- big red - Wednesday, Mar 8, 17 @ 10:32 am:
why would anyone want a Madigan yes man Madigan has profited enough off this state and bullied this state for years time for an overhaul of the entire state .