A Personal Announcement-- State Senate in 2008!

Over the last few years I have debated what I want my political future to be. Six years ago I was one of the first people in western Lake County to clearly say I was a Democrat and be an elected official. Being Mayor of Round Lake and being a Democrat were easily exclusive, the two rarely touched.

As the village grew, and started to take leadership roles on big projects in the county on transportation and hospitals for example, it became very useful to be a Democrat in a democratic state. I also realized that I enjoyed the big projects and work you had to do to get them done!

Many reasons along with the ones stated above have caused me to decide to run for the Illinois State Senate 26th district. The incumbent Senator Bill Peterson a Republican from Long Grove, I felt did not reflect the districts needs very well anymore, and I decided that I would mount what I felt was a winnable race, but a difficult one.

Senator Peterson announced last week that he was not seeking re-election, and if you read the papers you noticed that my name was prominently mentioned as the democratic challenger for the open seat. Obviously an open senate seat will stimulate interest and makes it quite the fight!

With the Illinois's primary date moved forward to make Illinois primary day more relevant in presidential party politics, the date I needed to move forward and announce was accelerated to today. I have to start passing petitions in August with a primary in February 2008 and the General election on the first Tuesday in November of 2008.

I plan on having four central themes for my election, transportation improvements, education funding reform, property tax relief and job creation & attraction to the district. While Illinois has many other issues, solving or contributing to a solution of the above four would help the 26th district and the state of Illinois immeasurably.

If you want more information on my campaign a website is set up at www.billgentes.com feel free to visit it. I will even have a blog (not yet), although not as intense as this one for now!

Please note that my Mayors blog will not be political, I will not tolerate election bashing of me or others, and the offending comments will simply be removed with no comments. This blog will remain and I will continue on as Mayor posting away about things that this community is interested in. If I am elected to the State Senate I will be the first Blogging Senator!