(WGN-AM)- After spending more than a year as a featured speaker at Republican events throughout Illinois, DuPage County State's Atty. Joe Birkett has decided to forego a run for governor and instead will seek the attorney general's post that he unsuccessfully ran for against Democrat Lisa Madigan in 2002.
"I've spent the last several months traveling around the state, talking to people about a possible run for governor. But I've decided that I want to remain a prosecutor," Birkett said in a video announcement on his campaign Web site today.
Birkett's run for the 2010 GOP nomination marks his third consecutive bid for statewide office. In addition to his past run for attorney general, Birkett was the running mate of governor candidate Judy Baar Topinka. That GOP ticket was defeated by then-Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn in 2006.
Birkett has been DuPage County state's attorney since 1996 and for a time had been one of two top county officials vying for the GOP nomination for governor. On Sunday, County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom formally announced his candidacy for the state's top job.
Madigan, the daughter of House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), has yet to announce if she will seek the Democratic nomination for governor or run for the U.S. Senate.
(The Chicago Tribune contributed to this story)
Get the latest news at the top and bottom of every hour on Chicago's WGN Radio 720
"I've spent the last several months traveling around the state, talking to people about a possible run for governor. But I've decided that I want to remain a prosecutor," Birkett said in a video announcement on his campaign Web site today.
Birkett's run for the 2010 GOP nomination marks his third consecutive bid for statewide office. In addition to his past run for attorney general, Birkett was the running mate of governor candidate Judy Baar Topinka. That GOP ticket was defeated by then-Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn in 2006.
Birkett has been DuPage County state's attorney since 1996 and for a time had been one of two top county officials vying for the GOP nomination for governor. On Sunday, County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom formally announced his candidacy for the state's top job.
Madigan, the daughter of House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), has yet to announce if she will seek the Democratic nomination for governor or run for the U.S. Senate.
(The Chicago Tribune contributed to this story)
Get the latest news at the top and bottom of every hour on Chicago's WGN Radio 720
