Welge, Carter added to Schimpf team

<span>In a short ceremony on Friday at Gilster-Mary Lee's corporate offices in Chester, State Senate candidate Paul Schimpf introduced business leaders Don Welge and Steve Carter as "honorary chairs" of his election campaign.</span>

<span>Welge is the CEO of Gilster-Mary Lee, while Carter is the CEO of Knight Hawk Coal. Both companies are two of the largest economic engines in the region.</span>

<span>"Don is going to be the honorary campaign chairman for Randolph County and Steve is going to be the honorary campaign chairman for Perry County," Schimpf said. "The reason why I'm excited to have them on my team is the salvation of our region does not lie with Springfield, it lies with local leaders and local job creators.</span>

<span>"These two gentlemen are two of the best. They are well-respected and they have done more for this area, this region, than I will ever hope to do in Springfield."</span>

<span>Schimpf, a Waterloo attorney running as a Republican for the seat of retiring State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld (R-Okawville), made an unsuccessful bid for Illinois attorney general in 2014 and has been previously endorsed by Luechtefeld.</span>

<span>Luechtefeld, who has represented the 58th district in the senate since 1995, also attended Friday's ceremony.</span>

<span>"It's an honor to be part of your team," Welge said to Schimpf. "Because we think that your viewpoints are what's needed in Springfield.</span>

<span>"For too long, we've had a one-party system in Springfield and we've had a situation that's been so dominated by Chicago because they have 60 percent of the votes."</span>

<span>"Paul's got big shoes to fill, literally and figuratively," Carter said. "We think he's the guy to do it.</span>

<span>"It is so important in our state to give representation for the people of the state and employment and businesses."</span>

<span>Carter noted that Illinois is "not exactly business-friendly."</span>

<span>"We've all got a lot of issues that we're working through," he said. "We're in the coal business.</span>

<span>"We're not exactly liked by at least the federal government. The state government has been pretty supportive of us, but we need all the support we can get in Springfield."</span>

<span>Carter added that the "baton has to be passed on" and Schimpf is the one to do it.</span>

<span>"It's so great to have - and even though they're lonely Republicans - Republicans that stand up for business," Welge said. "Illinois has the reputation currently of probably the worst business climate in the country and that is so terrible.</span>

<span>"Here is a state that has the richest farmland, wonderful natural resources that's shown in the coal fields and probably some of the biggest industries in the country and yet, it's going broke."</span>

<span>Schimpf, who grew up in Monroe County as the son of two schoolteachers and retired in 2013 as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps after 24 years of service, also took questions from the media.</span>

<span>Asked if he honestly thought Illinois would still have a budget impasse in February when he entered the race in October, Schimpf said he was hoping things would have been worked out by now.</span>

<span>"Frankly, we've got to get stuff worked out," he said. "This is really bad for the state. I am surprised and disappointed that there hasn't been the ability to compromise up in Springfield."</span>

<span>Schimpf also said he was impressed by Gov. Bruce Rauner's call for compromise and leadership in Rauner's recent State of the State address.</span>

<span>"We just cannot keep going down the status quo and digging the same hole for the past 12 years," he said. "We've got to try and turn the state around and get our economy going again."</span>

<span>Schimpf was also asked his opinion on the World Shooting and Recreational Complex and the fight to keep the Amateur Trapshooting Association in Sparta.</span>

<span>"I'm glad we've been able to keep (the Grand American)," he said. "I was at the press conference a couple of weeks ago when they announced it.</span>

<span>"The shooting complex is just absolutely critical to the economic well-being of the region and people who are even outside the political bubble get that."</span>

<span>Schimpf said if he is elected, he would be an advocate for the shooting complex.</span>

<span>"I'm happy that it looks like it is going to be open," he said. "I think that, if the voters trust me to represent them, one of my jobs is going to make sure I advocate for the shooting complex and that it is the best facility it can be."</span>

<span>The 58th Senate District contains all of Monroe, Randolph, Perry and Jefferson counties, as well as parts of St. Clair, Washington, Jackson and Union counties.</span>