Pantagraph.com Weather forecast, local radar and more
NewsMonday, May 19, 2008 5:21 PM CDT
Comments Comments (0) | E-mail this page E-mail this page | Print this page Print this page | Enlarge type Enlarge type | Reduce type Reduce type | Search archives Search archives | RSS RSS feeds | Add to My Yahoo! Add to My Yahoo!
11th District hopeful Ozinga visits McLean County
By M.K. Guetersloh
mkguetersloh@pantagraph.com
Advertisement

BLOOMINGTON -- In his bid to represent the 11th Congressional District, businessman Marty Ozinga III spoke to McLean County Republicans Monday looking for their help.

Ozinga, 58, became the Republican nominee for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Morris, after New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann dropped out of the race.

“I am going to need huge help, everything from grass roots support to money,” Ozinga told the crowd of about 100 local party supporters at the Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center in Bloomington.

Ozinga is president of Ozinga Bros., a material supply company headquartered in Mokena.

So far Ozinga’s campaign has raised about $500,000 he said. He is predicting he will need $3 million to fund an effective campaign against the Democratic nominee for the seat, state Sen. Debbie Halvorson of Crete, and Green Party candidate Jason Wallace of Normal.

Ozinga kept his remarks about Halvorson to a minimum saying he intended to point out their differences and her track record in Springfield, but he added he will “conduct a polite campaign.”

“This campaign is going to be about hard work,” he said.

The 11th District runs from the southern Chicago suburbs to Bloomington-Normal.

Monday was Ozinga’s first appearance in the county.

McLean County Republican Party Chairman John Parrott Jr. said the local party will be hosting a fund-raiser for Ozinga this summer but the details have not been finalized.

Ozinga entered the race less than three weeks ago when the state party named him to replace Baldermann on the ballot. Baldermann won the three-way primary race for the seat in February but withdrew shortly after, citing family reasons.

The district is one of three in the state the Republican Party is trying to hold onto in the Nov. 4 general election. The other two are the 14th, in the western Chicago suburbs, and the 18th, which includes Peoria.

Video
Most commented stories
Browse online archives
Recent issues:
Reader comments on this story - 0 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.
Add your own comments

Please read the rules before posting comments.

You must be logged in to leave comments.
If you don't have a member ID, please register.

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login?
(requires cookies)
  Forgot Your Password?
 
Lee Enterprises Customer Service | 301 W. Washington St., PO Box 2907, Bloomington, IL 61701-2907 | Ph. 309-829-9000 | 800-747-7323
Copyright © 2008, Pantagraph Publishing Co. and Lee Enterprises. All rights reserved. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy