McHenry Times

Settling on state Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) as the best candidate to represent the people of the 14th District in the U.S. Congress almost comes as a no-brainer to McHenry County Republican Vice Chairman Chuck Wheeler.

“I think he’s a good candidate because he’s a strong conservative and he represents the ideas of the 14th District,” Wheeler told the McHenry Times.

After serving in Springfield for the last seven years, Oberweis recently announced he plans to relinquish his 25th District seat to challenge first-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Underwood).

Since making his intentions publicly known, the endorsements have been springing up from all over for the veteran lawmaker, including nods from the likes of Kendall County Republican Chairman Joe Gillespie, state Sens. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) and Brian Stewart (R-Freeport), and state Reps. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) and Randy Frese (R-Paloma).

In the days since making his candidacy official, Oberweis has seemingly sought to take on a higher profile. He recently took to social media to address the state’s lingering outmigration problem, where he squarely placed on the onus for the state losing some 157,000 residents over the last five years on what he deemed as "liberal policies.”

“Democrats like to say they are progressive, but progress shouldn’t look like this,” he posted on Facebook.

Over the last decade, Illinois joins West Virginia as one of just two states where overall population has declined.

Oberweis joins a candidate pool that also includes veteran state Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) and state Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris).   

Underwood shocked many when she bagged nearly 53 percent of the vote last November to oust four-time incumbent Randy Hultgren of Plano in the traditionally Republican stronghold district.