News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Southern IL State Rep. Seeks Congressional Seat

Longtime southern Illinois State Representative Mike Bost is running for the GOP nomination for U.S. Representative in the 12th Congressional District. The Murphysboro republican is officially announcing his candidacy yesterday with campaign stops in Belleville, Mt. Vernon and Murphysboro. Bost says he decided to run after observing the gridlock in congress the past year and because the economy is not improving.

"It's like the dysfunction that's occurred in the state of Illinois, because of Chicago, has move to Washington," Bost said. "And I can't, you know I have nine grand kids now. And I could either say enough and walk away or do this and try to make a better future for them."

Bost has served in the Illinois House for 18-years.  He is the first Republican to announce for the southern Illinois congressional seat currently held by first-term Democrat Bill Enyart.  Bost says - based on Enyart's voting record - their beliefs are quite different. Enyart won in 2012 with more than 50%of the vote over republican Jason Plummer.