News

Myerscough run for LaHood seat looking more likely

Posted August 09, 2007 11:00 pm

Bernard Schoenburg

"It looks much better than I thought."

That was the reaction of 4th District Appellate Court Justice Sue Myerscough to the question of whether a Democrat from Springfield could win a seat in Congress from Illinois' 18th District.

Myerscough met Friday at the law office of her husband, Bob Mueller, with Jenn Pihlaja, Midwest regional political director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which recruits U.S. House candidates nationwide.

Myerscough earlier said she has been urged to consider a run in the 18th, where incumbent U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, has announced he won't seek another term in 2008.

Pihlaja pointed out that U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, got more than 55 percent of the vote in the 18th, Myerscough said, and both U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Democratic state Comptroller Dan Hynes topped 60 percent there in their statewide contests.

Myerscough said she received more encouragement after a State Journal-Register story Friday about her possible candidacy.

"I've probably talked to 15 people," she said.

Myerscough said she's also been encouraged by her judicial campaign staff, and some campaign workers - including her 23-year-old daughter, Sarah - attended Friday's meeting.

A spokeswoman for the DCCC said Myerscough is one of a few people who have been contacted in the district.

Sangamon County Democratic Chairman Tim Timoney said Myerscough's name came up as a possible congressional candidate in a telephone conference call of Democratic officials in the 18th.

"I think she'd be a great candidate," Timoney said. "However, she'd have to give up her job, give up an income, and she and I have both talked about the pros and cons of it."

Myerscough said that before talk of a congressional run, she was planning to run for retention on the appellate court on the 2008 ballot. She would have to give up her judgeship to run for Congress.

A Republican has held the 18th Congressional District seat for most of the past century, and for more than 30 years, LaHood and his Republican predecessor, former House Minority Leader Bob Michel of Peoria, have represented it. The district that includes all or part of 20 counties extends from the Peoria area south into Springfield.

Bernard Schoenburg can be reached at (217) 788-1540 or bernard.schoenburg@sj-r.com.

Article Categories
News