By Éovart Caçeir at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10535377
By Éovart Caçeir at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10535377
Bruce Rodely is looking for fiscal conservatives who will stand by their principles.
“At the county level, we’re really hurting for money, and our fiscal concerns are growing more by the day," Rodely, chairman of the Perry County GOP, told the SW Illinois News. “We’re struggling to get back on our feet, and county officials need to be aware of that when it comes to the policies they put in place.”
Rodely said a few local candidates have appealed to him as being up for the job and worthy of his 2018 endorsement.
Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro)
“Mary Jane Kraft is an incumbent in the treasurer’s office that I really like and think has really done a nice job,” he said.
Rodely is also throwing his support behind Perry County Sheriff Steve Bareis and Commissioner Bobby Kelly.
“I support what they’ve done thus far and the ideas they have for moving the county forward,” he said. “Things like working to cut their budgets, stretching out the life of equipment in their departments and offices to save taxpayers more money.”
With the entire state in dire financial straits, Rodely said he is using the same fiscally conservative litmus test in deciding whom he will back on the state level.
“I like Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) in the 115th District,” he said. “She helped craft a budget as part of a bipartisan group of state representatives just before the state’s bond status was headed for junk status."
Rodely said Bryant’s actions were also instrumental in helping the state ward off a potential crisis with its universities.
“SIU was one of the schools facing accreditation issues if that state budget wasn’t worked out,” he said.
While David Freiss doesn’t yet have Bryant’s track record in Springfield, he’s nonetheless earned Rodely’s support in his 116th District race against incumbent Jerry Costello (D-Smithton).
“Costello goes along with whatever (House Speaker Mike) Madigan says,” Rodely said. “You have to ask yourself what that’s gotten us. He’s the one that’s gotten the state upside down, in a train wreck that’s been 40 years in the making.”