102nd District House Race Interviews: Randy Peterson

The race to succeed Champaign Republican Adam Brown in Illinois’ 102nd District House seat has three GOP candidates vying to succeed him.  Brown is leaving office after three terms to return to his family farm.  He's endorsed another farmer, Randy Peterson of Paris, the Edgar County Republican Chairman.

"I like what Adam brings to the table," he said.  "He's a hard working, blue collar guy like I am, and that's what we're here to represent."

Meanwhile, opponent Brad Halbrook, a former House lawmaker in the 110th District, has support of Gov. Bruce Rauner.  Jim Acklin, the former superintendent in the St. Joseph-Ogden School District, has been endorsed by former governor Jim Edgar.

While Halbrook backs all portions of Gov. Rauner's 'Turnaround Agenda' Peterson says he doesn't want to take away collective bargaining rights from the working class, but he does support the idea of term limits, as well as changes worker's compensation and tort reform.

Speaking the evening of Gov. Rauner's budget address, says he's all for a change in the funding formula for K-12 education. 

"There's no reason why a kid in Chicago is worth three times as much as my kid and all the kids in the 102nd District." he said. 

Peterson says he talks with Republicans, Democrats and Independents in his district about Illinois' nearly 9-month budget impasse.

"We have to get together," he said.  "I've been able to get together with local Democrats in my county, and I look forward to do it in Springfield to find solutions that best suit us all."

The 102nd District stretches from Moultrie and Shelby Counties to the Indiana border, including much of southern Vermilion and Champaign County, Tuscola and Arcola in Douglas County and Paris in Edgar County.  Illinois Public Media will have interviews with Peterson's two primary opponents Wednesday and Thursday.  No Democrats have filed to run in the race.