David Phelps interested in 12th Illinois Congressional seat
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[former U.S. Congressman David D. Phelps, 64, Eldorado, who was previously a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois, has become seriously interested in running for the 12th Illinois Congressional District seat.
The opportunity became an issue when Democratic nominee Brad Harriman dropped out of the race for health reasons.
Phelps was born in Eldorado. He graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1969. Phelps was trained as an educator. After teaching for several years, he became a school administrator. From 1980 to 1984 he served as Saline County Clerk and Recorder.
Phelps was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1984 until 1998. He was elected to Congress in 1998 after 10-year incumbent Glenn Poshard made a run for governor. In 2002, Illinois lost a district as a result of the 2000 Census. Phelps' district was dismantled and split between three neighboring districts.
His home in Eldorado was drawn into the Champaign-Urbana based 15th District, while Decatur, the heart of his former district, was shifted to the Quad Cities-based 17th District. The bulk of his former district was merged with the neighboring 20th District.
Phelps ran against 20th District Republican incumbent John Shimkus in the general election. The new district was numerically Phelps' district-the 19th. However, it was geographically and demographically more Shimkus' district; Phelps only retained 35 percent of his former territory.
A famous professional songwriter, Phelps toured the nation as a gospel singer, in a quartet with his brothers. While serving in the U.S. House, he was the hymn director for the Congressional Weekly Prayer Breakfast on Capitol Hill.
The former Congressman also served as assistant secretary for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). His nephew, Brandon Phelps, is a member of the Illinois House of Representatives.