Shimkus Launches Re-Election Bid, Weighs In On ACA

Congressman John Shimkus says continued problems with the Health Care.gov website should be reason enough to delay the individual mandate for coverage by a year.

The 15th District Collinsville Republican notes that some Democratic senators are also seeking such a change.  

Shimkus said individuals deserve the same 1-year delay that was granted to businesses with the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, and would like to make additional changes over that time.

“I would like to reform these insurance products, so that they are more competitive with individual choices, instead of the federal government dictating to individual consumers what type of policy they must have, especially if they have no need for that service as part of the package," he said.

But Shimkus, who launched his re-election bid Monday with a few stops around the district, has not said he’s calling for another partial government shutdown over the health care law.

Shimkus has been a member of Congress since 1997.  

No Republican has filed to oppose him in the primary next spring.  But Eric Thorsland of Mahomet and abortion opponent Angela Michael of Highland are running in the Democratic primary for the 15th District.   

Shimkus easily defeated Michael last year, netting 69-percent of the vote.