8 GOP Congressional Hopefuls to Interview in McLean County

Let the campaign speeches begin.

Eight of the candidates for the Republican nomination for Congress in the new 13th district will try to persuade a McLean County audience to support them next Monday.

Whoever is selected in a weighted vote by 14 county party chairs across the re-drawn 13th District will replace retiring Urbana Republican Tim Johnson on the November ballot.

McLean County Party Chair John Parrot says they will give five minute presentations to a GOP luncheon, and the audience will ask questions at the end.

Included are: Jerry Clarke of Urbana (a former chief of staff to Johnson), State Representative Dan Brady of Bloomington, Mike Tate of Springfield, State Representative Adam Brown of Decatur, David Blumenshine of Bloomington, Rodney Davis of Taylorville, State Senator Kyle McCarter of Lebanon, and State Senator Sam McCann of Carlinville.

Parrot says this will be the first gathering of the contenders. The winner will face presumptive Democratic nominee and 3-time candidate David Gill in November.