Democrats Select Retired General Bill Enyart as Illinois 12th District Nominee

By Scott Bland  //  June 23, 2012 | 6:19 p.m.

After a month in limbo, Democrats have a new nominee in Illinois's 12th Congressional District. The district's county Democratic chairs unanimously selected former Illinois National Guard commander Bill Enyart to take the reins Saturday afternoon, about a month after primary winner Brad Harriman dropped out due to health issues. Democratic Rep. Jerry Costello is retiring after this term.

Ten candidates submitted applications for the Democratic nomination, but Enyart's strong resume made him a quick, consensus choice: Enyart, who is also an attorney, resigned from a five-year post as the Illinois National Guard's top general earlier this month to pursue the Democratic nomination. The selection committee of county Democratic chairman began a set of public interviews with the candidates began at 9 a.m. local time Saturday morning, and they chose Enyart around 2 p.m. Central.

In an interview with Hotline On Call, Enyart said his military experience -- he enlisted in the Air Force at 19 years old and served in the Guard for three decades -- will help him carry on Costello's work in the district.

"The largest economic engine in the northern part of the district is Scott Air Force Base," said Enyart, who worked closely with the air wing there at the Illinois National Guard. "I know the programs coming down the road. ... The district needs a congressman who's ready to step into the breach right now, after Jerry Costello's done such a great job for it."

Both President Obama and Sen. John Kerry carried the district as Democratic presidential nominees in 2008 and 2004, but Republicans -- behind nominee Jason Plummer -- have expressed optimism about capturing the 12th District in November. It's a predominantly white, working-class district of the sort that's played host to many Republican gains over the past few years, and Enyart's late entry into the race gave the GOP a head start.

But Enyart rejects the notion that the 12th District, which has had just two congressmen (both Democrats) since 1944, is ready to flip. "It's a Democratic seat for exactly those reasons," Enyart said. "The economic policies being put forth by the Republican Party would be disastrous for this district. When you look at this district, we don't have many millionaires who need tax breaks; we have a lot of working-class people who need jobs." Enyart also noted that the district's population has a high share of seniors. Hours into his candidacy as the Democratic nominee, he is already setting up the same argument on entitlements that Democrats believe drove them to victory in two senior-heavy special elections this cycle, in New York and Arizona. "You have Republicans pushing a Ryan budget, endorsed by Jason Plummer, that would gut Medicare and Social Security as we know it," Enyart said. Now that he has been selected as the nominee, Enyart has a few challenging weeks ahead as he takes over Costello and Harriman's Democratic network in the middle of the general election season. But Democrats emerged from the selection process with a strong candidate, one they need in a seat that both national campaign committees have named a top November target.

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