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Versace plans "listening tour" before addressing issues
SPRINGFIELD — Former Bradley University basketball coach Dick Versace on Monday made his campaign for Congress official, but said it was too early to talk specifics about major issues such as the Iraq war. Versace, a Democrat from Peoria, joins a field of at least three Republicans vying for the 18th Congressional District seat, which is now held by U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood. His campaign materials tout his eight years as basketball coach at Bradley, but Versace said Monday that he’s not counting on riding name recognition to a seat in Congress. His success at Bradley came mostly in the early 1980s. “If you’re not in the 40 to 60 (years-old) demographic, you probably don’t know who I am,” Versace said. “You probably don’t, unless you’re an NBA wacko.” An NBA wacko would know that after leaving Bradley, Versace worked as head coach of the Indiana Pacers and as an executive with the Vancouver Grizzlies. And though Versace said he’s not counting on name recognition to win a seat in Congress, he declined Monday to shed much light on his policy positions other than an opposition to the war in Iraq. “I pledge to you now to do everything in my power to bring an end to this costly war and bring our brave sons and daughters home,” he said. Asked specifically what that meant, Versace emphatically declined to answer questions from reporters at a Springfield news conference. He said he’s waiting to hear from people around the district he talks to on a “listening tour” he’s planning to take in a large RV. “If I answer questions on issues today, the people who I’m going to go visit would say: ‘What do you need see us for, we already know where you stand,’ ” Versace said. The district covers a wide swath of Illinois, including area north of Decatur and in Woodford and Tazewell counties. The primary election is set for Feb. 5, 2008. The three announced Republican candidates so far are Peoria-area businessman Jim McConoughey of Dunlap, former Peoria City Council member John Morris and state Rep. Aaron Schock of Peoria. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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