U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren informed supporters this week that he intends to run next year for re-election in the 14th Congressional District, which was redrawn to include a Republican colleague.
Hultgren sent a letter to supporters Thursday night informing them of his decision to make a formal announcement to run in the 14th District. The Winfield Republican said he believes his party has made progress by rejecting policies of President Barack Obama and wants to continue to push for conservative fiscal policies.
"I hope that I've lived up to the promises I made to you last fall and that you have been proud of the way I've represented you so far in Washington," Hultgren's letter stated. "Many challenges lay ahead, but I'm optimistic that together we can turn our country around."
The letter did not include a specific date of when he plans to announce he will run. Messages left Friday with his office were not returned.
To win the seat in the 14th District, Hultgren might have to oust U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh, who represents the 8th District now but was drawn out it during the redistricting process. The McHenry Republican has not decided where he would run in the next election, but a spokesman said he has no plans to voluntarily walk away from Washington.
"He is 100 percent running for re-election, he's just not clear where," said Justin Roth, Walsh's spokesman.
Springfield lawmakers must redraw state and congressional boundaries every 10 years after the U.S. Census. Illinois is losing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to faster-growing states, bringing its total to 18 for the next decade. Because Democrats controls both houses of the General Assembly and the governor's office, it could redraw state and congressional districts without Republican input or support.
Republicans in 2010 picked up four Illinois seats in Congress and held onto a fifth. The new map seeks to eliminate those gains by pairing Republicans against one another, stretching Democratic Chicago districts into the Republican suburbs, and pitting GOP freshmen against seasoned Democratic incumbents.
Republicans are challenging the map in court.
No matter who wins the seat, the 14th District will likely different. Under the existing map, the 14th District stretches from the far western suburbs of Chicago almost to the border with Iowa, and it includes parts of Bureau, DeKalb, DuPage, Henry, Kane, Kendall, Lee and Whiteside counties.
If the map withstands legal challenges, the 14th District will be more compact, including parts of DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake and McHenry counties.
• Shaw Suburban Media reporter Kevin Craver contributed to this report.
