No Final Vote Saturday in the 53rd District Race, Possible Straw Vote

Nine candidates are vying to fill out the remaining two years of State Senator Dan Rutherford's term in the 53rd district - now that he has been named Illinois' next Treasurer. Republican leaders from nine counties will caucus on Saturday, and may take a straw vote to narrow the field of candidates down to three or four.

But McLean County GOP Chairman John Parrott Jr said a final vote vote is not expected until after the Thanksgiving holiday, probably December 4.

The field widened Wednesday, when State Representative Keith Sommer of Morton withdrew from competition for family reasons. Onarga State Representative and Iroquois County Party Chair Shane Cultra said it only seems logical to pursue the seat after eight years in the House, and 14 years before that on the Iroquois County Board, but Champaign County GOP chair Jason Barickman is also pursuing the seat. Cultra noted that could be a problem in Eastern Illinois.

"Because we're splitting the vote over here, and there's several new people now that are entering the race from McLean County and I think there's possibly a couple from Tazewell County," Cultra said. "So on the first ballot, I don't see anyone having enough votes to win."

Sommer's decision revives the candidacy of Tazewell County Board Chairman David Zimmerman who had expressed interest until deferring to Sommer. Zimmerman said he would do well in Springfield.

"I think I bring a lot of things to the table," Zimmerman said. "One would be just a lot of common sense. And my experience on the county board has taught me that 'you know what? We just can't spend more than we have."

The other front-runner for the post had been Jason Barickman, a Champaign Attorney and Champaign County party chair.

The GOP chairs will conduct a weighted vote on Saturday, based on the counties' populations. The largest ones in the Senate district are Tazewell, McLean, and Champaign Counties,but Cultra contended that the senator may not even emerge from Saturday's vote since multiple ballots may have to be cast for one person to receive just over 50-percent of the vote. He said names with the fewest votes will be removed from the ballot on each attempt.

Other announced candidates include former Saunemin Mayor Mike Stoecklin, University of Illinois Security consultant John Bambanek, Tazewell County Board member John Ackerman, Washington Mayor Gary Manier, former Pontiac Mayor Scott McCoy, and McLean County Board Chairman Matt Sorenson.