State Sen. Randy Hultgren, R-48th District, of Wheaton has announced his bid in the crowded Republican primary for the 14th District in February.
Along with Mark Vargas of Elgin, Jeff Danklefsen of Geneva and Ethan Hastert of Elburn, Hultgren will campaign for the chance to take on U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-14, of Geneva in the November 2010 election.
Hultgren said his biggest reason for running is his frustration with current representation and happenings in Washington, D.C.
“Really, I feel like there are very scary levels of debt that we’re incurring for our kids and grandkids,” Hultgren said. “Absolutely the wrong thing to do for the need for jobs would be to raise taxes. I want to fight that in Washington as I have in Springfield.”
Hultgren said he wants to help small businesses grow and gain confidence in the 14th District. He said he believes one key would be incentives and taking away what he called “disincentives” for small business.
“A lot of it is knowing that there isn’t going to be a big tax increase for your business,” Hultgren said. “Knowing we won’t push huge mandates on them. If there’s a job created, that’s incredibly valuable. It’s worth it for us to give incentives for small business to grow.”
On health care, Hultgren said he doesn’t believe the problem will be solved by getting government involved. Hultgren said he wants to look at what is causing the high costs and find “creative ways to bring down the cost of medicine.”
“There are good things we can do to open up more availability (of health care) and target those people that are uninsurable rather than scrapping a system that is mostly pretty good,” Hultgren said. “It needs some help and we can make it better.”
With regard to the other candidates running in the primary, Hultgren said he has met with and likes all of them, but believes he gives the Republican Party the best chance of beating Foster.
“One of the things that does set me apart; I’m the only one who can say I have a record of votes (that express how) I feel,” Hultgren said.
Hultgren said giving views is one thing; voting on them is something completely different.
Hultgren called Foster’s time in office “a real disappointment” and said he thinks Foster has voted more in line with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi than his own constituents.
“He’s my congressman and he has not done a good job representing me in Congress,” Hultgren said. “Really, the only outreach I’ve seen has been teleconferences, and I think that’s the wrong direction to go.”
Hultgren previously has served the 95th District as state representative and the 4th District for the DuPage County Board and Forest Preserve Board.
