St. Rep. Chapin Rose Launches State Senate Bid

State Representative Chapin Rose is launching his campaign for the Illinois Senate. The Mahomet Republican has been making campaign visits to towns in the new 51st Senate District. And on Wednesday morning, he stopped in St. Joseph.

The new 51st Senate District is spread out over 10 counties in east-central Illinois, carefully avoiding any large cities, which are given over to neighboring districts favoring Democrats. The 37-year-old Rose says he'd be happy representing a Senate District made up of rural areas and small towns.

"I mean I like that", says Rose. "You get a chance to come out to the coffee shop and say hi to people. You know, when you get into a large urban area, nobody knows anybody. I'm a small town guy."

To announce his Senate bid in the small Champaign County town of St. Joseph, Rose brought his family over for a news conference at BJ's Beauty Shop, whose owner, BJ Hackler, is the mayor and past president of the Illinois Municipal League. Although St. Joseph isn't in Rose's House district, Hackler says they know each other well, "because I've worked with him throughout his career". Hackler adds, "And he's (Rose) always been very good to me, as far as my community, and within the state of Illinois, with the Municipal League."

Other local Republicans who came to BJ's Beauty Shop to endorse Rose included Ogden Mayor Jack Reidner, Tolono Township Trustee Larry Kearns and Parkland College Trustee (and former Champaign County Board member) Greg Knott.

During his five terms in the Illinois House, Rose's specialties have included budget issues and higher education. Rose says that as a state Senator, he can have a greater impact on shaping Illinois' budget, at time when Democrats in the General Assembly seem more willing to listen to the Republican minority.

"I'm on our (Republican) budget team", says Rose. "And for the first time in a long time, I felt like this year's budget process was a fair one, where people worked together, where we're starting to right the ship. I understand that's a start --- we've got a long way to go. I want to see that through ... and I think that in the Senate, we'll have more impact and more effectiveness in that area."

Rose says the new 51st Senate District overlaps with the 110th House District he currently represents. But the new district doesn't include Coles County, where Rose grew up.