After being nailed by the Chicago Tribune over his suspicious Latin American investments, it looks like Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL) might not be running for re-election. According to the Daily Southtown, Weller is certainly sending those signals:
Rumors are circulating that Weller may decide against another term, particularly in light of the bad press he is receiving over his Guatemalan financial interests. Phone calls, I'm told, have been made to his top donors indicating he may be preparing to “hang it up.” His family, after all, lives in Guatemala. That's a long commute.
[…]
He has not returned phone calls to the media, no matter the topic, for weeks.
In addtion, The Capitol Fax reports that Weller hasn't started circulating the nominating petitions required for his name to appear on the ballot.
So who'll step in to fill the void if Weller opts out? Although he's also taken up the habit of not returning phone calls from the media, it's rumored that Joliet bank president Jim Roolf is considering a run for the Republicans. And Emily's List is heavily recruiting state Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete) to enter the race. It's pretty certain that this seat, with a PVI of R+1.1, will be competitive no matter what Weller decides.
(h/t to Faithfully Liberal)
The events here in IL-11 are thrilling. Please allow my gushing, I’m a longtime IL-11 resident and recent creator of the 11th District Democrats… and I never thought all this would happen so soon, its like an avalanche.
I think its safe to say that Halvorson is the strongest candidate we could put up there, she is a state senator who covers a large portion of the district, is well known and well-thought of, and being in a leadership position she can raise funds easily. However, the question is will Debbie run? Right now it seems 50-50. Senate President Emil Jones is 71 and a Blago guy, and it seems likely that this will be Blago’s last term as governor- at which point Jones will be 74- and he is likely to retire soon. That would leave the door open for Halvorson becoming the first female Senate President, and I know that means a lot to her. She has to decide if she’d rather hold a strong leadership position in the state, or be a member of the federal government. Regardless, if Debbie does run she will be the favorite in the general.
On the other hand, if Halvorson doesnt run, we have an interesting primary. Right now two people are running- Jerry Weber who is President of Kankakee Community College, and Bob Gorman (very little name rec.) from Frankfort. I dont know if anny other elected officials might throw their hat in the race, or if 2006 candidate John Pavich- who won 45% of the vote- would entertain the idea of a comeback.