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GOP to pick candidate to run against Hare

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By Ed Tibbetts | Wednesday, March 12, 2008 |

Republicans Party leaders in Illinois’ 17th congressional district plan to meet Saturday to discuss picking a candidate to run against U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, D-Ill.

County party chairman in the district plan to meet in Macomb to discuss filling the vacancy, said Marc Young, chairman of the Knox County Republican Party. Party officials said three or four people have expressed an interest in running but they declined to identify them.

Hare, a freshman, was elected in 2006 after filling a ballot vacancy himself. His former boss, Lane Evans, announced not long after the primary two years ago he would step down at the end of his term.

Hare has raised nearly $520,000 toward a re-election bid this year, but there’s been little sign of a Republican

challenge.

Rock Island County GOP Chairwoman Susan Carpentier said she believes the party can mount a vigorous challenge to Hare. “He’s a first-term congressman and he voted right along with the liberal Democrats we have in there now,” she said. “We have a good shot.“

Andrea Zinga has already said she will not run for the office again. Brian Gilliland, who sought the GOP nomination two years ago, declined to comment Tuesday.

Tim Schlittner, a spokesman for Hare, said Tuesday the congressman’s record aligns with the district and its working families. “If the Republicans choose to nominate someone, he looks forward to debating his record this fall,” Schlittner said.

Young and Carpentier say county chairmen are empowered with filling the vacancy on the ballot. They said they must do so by the first week of April.

Ed Tibbetts can be contacted at

(563) 383-2327 or etibbetts@qctimes.com.

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