01/31/2008

By Gary Mays

State Sen. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, arguably among the most powerful women in Illinois, sought to reassure business and civic leaders in Kankakee Thursday night that she would continue to fight for local and small business interests if she's elected to Congress to represent the 11th District this fall.

"Whether it is at the state or national level," she told attendees of the Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce annual dinner, "I will always be there for you."

Illinois Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete) said Tuesday she plans to run for retiring Republican Rep. Jerry Weller's 11th Congressional District seat.

Halvorson decided after meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others in Washington over the weekend. Democrats have singled out Halvorson as their top hope to win the district, which includes parts of Will County and reaches as far south as McLean County.

October 2, 2007 (CHICAGO) -- Democratic state Sen. Debbie Halvorson said Tuesday that she will seek retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller's congressional seat.

Halvorson, the state Senate majority leader, said she spent last weekend in Washington meeting with congressional, political, and national party leaders, including at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

"They have assured me that this is an important race to them and that we will be working together," said the 49-year-old Halvorson, D-Crete.

By Greg Giroux
Tue Oct 2, 7:46 PM ET

Democratic strategists planning for a takeover bid in Illinois' open 11th Congressional District welcomed the news Tuesday that Debbie Halvorson -- ”the majority leader of the Illinois Senate and one of the best-known Democrats in the mildly Republican-leaning constituency --” is running for the seat held by retiring seven-term Republican Rep. Jerry Weller.