Ron Paul convention delegate hopefuls file
<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Candidates from several Illinois congressional districts filed petitions Tuesday to be Republican National Convention delegates or alternates committed to U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas for president.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">The filing period for Republican presidential candidates, as well as delegate and alternate candidates, began last week and ends today at the State Board of Elections in Springfield.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">On the first day of filing last Wednesday, petitions were filed for Paul, individually, to appear on the Illinois ballot. Petitions also were submitted, as the filing period opened, for the presidential candidacies of former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Tennessee U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson. On Friday, presidential petitions were filed for 2004 Illinois U.S. Senate candidate Alan Keyes of Maryland.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Democratic candidates for president and delegate filed in an earlier period, from Oct. 29-Nov. 5.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Those filing Tuesday included:</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">--17th Congressional District - Paul delegate candidates Michael Gentry, Moline; Levi K. Dennis, Quincy; Joseph A. Osmundson, Decatur. Paul candidates for alternate Robert E. Brooks, Farmington; Lauren E. Ferro, Decatur; Leanna Clark, Herrick.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">--18th Congressional District - Paul delegate candidates David L. Snider, Minier; Philip Christofanelli, Springfield; Brian Butler, Washington; Mancy J. Cummins, Decatur. Paul candidates for alternate William T. Dietrich, Dunlap; Nathaniel Keener, Peoria; Stephen Fleming, East Peoria; Justin Patterson, Martinsburg.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">--19th Congressional District - Paul delegate candidates Gregory A. Bishop, Springfield; Brian Lewis, Louisville; Nathan M. Williams, Bethalto; Gregory M. Buerk, Centralia.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bernard Schoenburg can be reached at (217) 788-1540 or bernard.schoenburg@sj-r.com.</font>