Decatur Republican Announces Bid For General Assembly

A Decatur Republican wants to be the next representative in the General Assembly.

Dan Caulkins announced that he is running for the 101st Illinois House seat, which covers Piatt, DeWitt and portions of Champaign, Macon and McLean counties.

Caulkins is a businessman, former member of the Decatur City Council and current member of the Eastern Illinois University Board of Trustees. He says his experience in business and government make him the best candidate.

If Caulkins was in the General Assembly this year, he would have voted for the final school funding reform bill, but against the budget that was passed over the governor’s veto. "We need structural reform in Springfield. We need a way to stop spending money. We need people that are willing to go there and stand up for what’s right and for the taxpayers," Caulkins explained.

Caulkins is running for the Republican nomination to replace the retiring Bill Mitchell. Piatt County Board Chairman Randy Keith and Cerro Gordo School Board President Todd Hendricks are also running on the GOP side.

So far, no Democrats have decided to run in the heavily Republican 101st Illinois House district.