SPRINGFIELD - Republicans will take another month to decide who they want to run for Congress in Illinois' 11th district.

In an announcement Monday, GOP officials said they will wait until April 30 to decide who will challenge for the right to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller in Washington D.C.

The party is searching for a new candidate for the November general election after the surprising departure of New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann, who won a three-way Republican primary race on Feb. 5, only to drop out soon after.

Although officials remain tight-lipped about who they'd like to see in the race, two front-runners have emerged: Harry Bond, owner of the Bradley-based Monical's Pizza chain; and Martin Ozinga III, president of Ozinga Bros., a material supply company headquartered in Mokena.

Bond, a Decatur native, and Ozinga fit a profile of what Republicans are searching for: Both could use some of their own wealth in going up against state Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson of Crete, who has strong backing from the national Democratic Party.

Green Party candidate Jason Wallace of Normal also is on the ballot.

Ozinga, 58, released a statement Monday saying he wants the job.

"After much prayer and careful consideration - and at the urging of Republican leaders, 11th District voters and my family - I have decided to run for Congress to be a positive part of the process of returning to the foundational truths established by our forefathers," Ozinga noted.

Will County Republican Party Chairman Dick Kavanagh said Monday that party officials have spent recent weeks interviewing potential candidates. He declined to name who he is favoring.

Kavanagh said he doesn't see any harm in waiting until late April to name a replacement. Under party rules, county chairmen from each of the eight counties that comprise the district will cast weighted votes to choose the new candidate.

"I certainly don't think it's too late," Kavanagh said.

The 11th district, which stretches from Chicago's south suburbs to Bloomington-Normal, is among three districts in Illinois that Republicans are defending in the 2008 election. The others are the 18th and the 14th.