Elk Grove Mayor Johnson ponders 8th District bid

Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson said Thursday he is pondering a Republican bid for the 8th Congressional District in the March primary at the urging of “prominent political and business figures.”

“A lot of people have been very impressed with how we've run the village through these financial times,” Johnson said. “They always say that kind of leadership would be great for the country.”

The newly drawn 8th District is lacking an incumbent with Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh of McHenry now vying for the 14th District — predominantly encompassing Kane and McHenry counties — against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren in the primary.

The 8th District race thus far has piqued the interest of state Rep. David Harris, an Arlington Heights Republican who last week announced he is forming an exploratory committee for a primary bid, and businessman Andrew Palomo, who is collecting signatures to get his name on the primary ballot.

The proposed 8th district includes parts of Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg and Arlington Heights — communities in Harris' current 66th state House district. The new 8th district also has territory in DuPage and Kane counties.

Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth, who lost to Peter Roskam in the current 6th District in 2006, and former Illinois Deputy Treasurer Raja Krishnamoorthi, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for comptroller last year, will face off in the Democratic primary. Both are from Hoffman Estates.

Johnson said it's not the first time he has been asked to run for a higher office, though he personally has never aspired for one.

“I've been offered seats in the past,” Johnson said. “It's always flattering. I think it's rude if someone takes the time and has strong enough feelings not to at least consider it. But at the end of the day, I've always told people I'm very content being mayor of Elk Grove Village.”

Johnson, 51, said he's not getting any younger and “if I ever have any ambitions, the clock is ticking.”

Johnson's mayoral seat is not up for re-election until April 2013.