Presidential candidates line up delegates in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD — With two months to go before the March 20 Illinois primary, four Republican presidential candidates are gearing up their campaigns by filing rosters of Illinois delegates.

On Friday, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney all filed full slates of delegates — Illinois party faithful from each congressional district who would represent the Republican candidate at the party’s convention later this year.

Rick Santorum’s campaign filed a full slate of delegates in 15 of the 18 congressional districts, a strategy to maximize its short turnaround time by leaving out Democratic-leaning districts 4, 5 and 7.

President Barack Obama filed a slate of Illinois delegates this week, too, though he is not opposed in the March Democratic primary.

Friday was the last day to file in Illinois.

Between now and the primary, the delegates help form the backbone of Republicans’ campaigns in Illinois, trying to get the word out about their favored candidates as the hopefuls themselves travel among earlier primary states like New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Former Batavia resident Jon Zahm, political director for Santorum’s newly energized Illinois campaign, filed petitions just under the wire at 4 p.m. Friday in Springfield.

While Santorum’s Illinois campaign got a late start — first launching a website Dec. 24 — a growing network of volunteers made up for lost time quickly, surpassing the 5,000-signature requirement and meeting a goal of a full slate of delegates in 15 of 18 congressional districts.

Zahm said the campaign was “absolutely” thrilled with the response so far in Illinois, and in the next few weeks, will focus on “getting some signs out, representing (Santorum) at events and just building up a volunteer base. Thanking the people out there that have been helping out.”

Among Santorum’s delegates are former state Rep. Al Salvi of Mundelein and his wife, Kathleen.

Gabriela Wyatt of Aurora, an Illinois Republican Party co-chairwoman and Romney delegate, argued her candidate’s operation in Illinois is the most organized, set up long before other competitors began surging in this week’s Iowa caucus polls.

“Romney’s campaign was being organized back in the summer,” she said.

Romney can count as delegates a handful of state lawmakers, including GOP reps. Dennis Reboletti of Elmhurst, Patti Bellock of Hinsdale and Franco Coladipietro of Bloomingdale.

It’s still unclear if the GOP primary will still be raging by the time it’s Illinoisans’ turn to vote. A nominee could be clear by then.

Delegates are ready to make their pitches, though.

C. Steven Tucker of Roselle is a delegate for Gingrich in the 8th Congressional District. He said he thinks the former house speaker is best equipped to take on Obama in November.

“Newt has been rising in the polls because of his debate performances,” Tucker said. “He seems to be very competent not only on domestic policies, but foreign policies as well.”

Tucker believes Illinois could be a major player in the presidential primaries if Gingrich supporters throw enough of their support behind him in other states in the coming weeks.

Mark Widhalm, a Paul delegate from the 14th Congressional District, says he favors his candidate’s views on individual liberties and financial policies.

Widhalm has been passing out Paul signs locally already.

“I think his message and his ideas are catching on, even with people who could be considered more ‘mainstream,’ so I’m very positive with how things are going so far,” Widhalm said.

The next big primary election is Tuesday in New Hampshire, a state with a reputation for making or breaking presidential candidates, much like Iowa.

ŸPolitics and Projects Writer Kerry Lester contributed to this story.