Goetten Back in Race for Illinois’ 13th District

A prosecutor from Western Illinois has done an about-face, and will pursue a seat in Congress after all.

Greene County State's Attorney Matt Goetten had cited family concerns when he recently withdrew from the race for the state's re-drawn 13th Congressional District. But the Democrat says further discussions with his wife and kids prompted him to give it a second thought. Goetten said attending Champaign County's Democratic Dinner on October 30th was the final encouragement he needed.

"The chairman (Al Klein) allowed me a few minutes to speak," Goetten said. "And being in front of the crowd, talking to them, my wife and I actually on the way home discussed the evening, discussed my decision, and that's where my initial decision not to run started to erode, and I started to think better of that decision."

Goetten says his campaign focus remains the economy and job creation, and what he calls presumptive fall opponent and incumbent Republican Congressman Tim Johnson's 'recklessness' when it comes to the middle class.

"Congress isn't focusing on job creation," he said in a press release. "Instead, Congressman Johnson and his colleagues are asking our middle class to bear the sacrifice of their failure. Here in the real world, we're left to wonder what they're thinking. It is time for a wake-up call in Washington."

Bloomington physician David Gill has already entered the race. Other former candidates for the 13th District include former legislator Jay Hoffman, who dropped out of the race to pursue another run at the legislature, and James Gray, a retired educator from Litchfield. Goetten has served as Greene County's State's Attorney since 2004, focusing largely on protecting crime victims. He created a victim's advocate in Greene County.