Bost hits campaign trail today as republican candidate for Enyart's congressional seat

Illinois 115th District Rep. Mike Bost hit the campaign trail today--this time as congressional candidate for freshman democrat Bill Enyart's seat.

Bost is an 18-year member of the Illinois House who was, incidentally, first introduced to Du Quoin voters by the late Gene Morris at the Du Quoin State Fair in 1995.

Bost will make his first campaign stop in Belleville, at the St. Clair County Courthouse, on Monday at 12:30 p.m. He then comes down to Veterans Memorial Park in Mt. Vernon at 3:30 p.m. and makes his final rally stop in his hometown of Murphysboro at 6:30 p.m. in the Davis-McCann Civic Center.

Bost was a firefighter before entering politics and becoming a full-time state legislator and business owner. He graduated from Murphysboro High School, attended the University of Illinois Certified Firefighter II Academy, and served in the United States Marine Corps (1979-82). He and his wife Tracy have three children and six grandchildren.

Bost sponsors many firearm bills in support of the right to bear arms, including concealed carry.

He was a passionate opponent of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. In May 2012, upset over a bill to overhaul state pensions, Bost screamed and threw papers on the Illinois House floor because the House was only given 20 minutes to review and vote on a two-hundred page bill.

Frustrated by the lack of progress on getting a handle on Illinois' finances, he said over the weekend simply "It's time."

Bost will challenge Congressman Bill Enyart, who is currently in the middle of his first term of office. He also faces a left-leaning voting district, which hasn't had a republican congressman since 1954.

He certainly has the name recognition, but not the large Metro-East voting block.

Enyart defeated republican Jason Plummer in the race to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Rep. Jerry Costello.