Bill Foster Officially Entering Congressional Race

The former 14th District congressman is taking another run at public service.

Democrat Bill Foster of Batavia formally announced Tuesday his campaign to return to Congress. Foster plans to run in the proposed new 11th Congressional District, which would contain the following cities and villages:

• Aurora
• Joliet
• Lisle
• Montgomery
• Naperville
• Woodridge

"I am running to return to Congress because there are important things left to accomplish, and important accomplishments that must be defended,” said Foster in a prepared statement.

“Our fragile economic recovery must be sustained, and the long-term fiscal problems that we face must be solved without breaking promises to our seniors or dismantling Medicare. Reforms to our financial and health care systems must continue so that they work well for both businesses and ordinary people.”

Foster lost his 14th District seat to Randy Hultgren of Winfield in November. On election night, Foster said he was not re-elected in part because the slow economic recovery.

"After a year-and-a-half, we were getting out of it but not fast enough for people, and they decided to make a change," Foster told Patch.

Foster's announcement also contains words of praise from Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner.

"He has the practicality of a small businessman but also a scientist’s vision of the future ... and he worked hard for Aurora as its congressman," said Weisner in the statement.

Foster represented Aurora in his previous term, along with Montgomery, Oswego and parts of Joliet.

Andrea Bozek, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, responded with a written statement:

“Illinois working families fired Bill Foster last fall because of his unwavering support for reckless spending, higher taxes and bigger government. Illinois voters understand that Bill Foster's tax-and-spend record was part of the problem and are unwilling to foot the bill again for his big-spending agenda.”

No other candidates have come forward in the 11th District but that may be because it doesn't officially exist yet. The Illinois Senate passed the new redistricting maps Tuesday, and Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign them into law.