Another candidate in 59th District's race

With a strong incumbent out of the picture, a third candidate has emerged to challenge for the 59th Illinois House seat.

Mohan Manian, a Republican business owner from Green Oaks, said Monday he will run for the seat being vacated Aug. 31 by Kathy Ryg, a Democrat from Vernon Hills

"The cost of our government has become too high and we're not getting our money's worth in return," the 45-year-old Manian said Monday in a statement.

Manian said he declared his intentions in early July. Ryg announced last week she would leave office in the middle of her fourth term to become president of Voices for Illinois Children, an advocacy group.

State Sen. Terry Link, Lake County Democratic Party chief, said he wants to find a replacement for the remainder of Ryg's term, who also would represent the party in the November 2010 election. No choice has been made.

For Republicans, Manian joins Green Oaks lawyer Dan Sugrue in pursuit of the seat. Sugrue lost to Ryg last November.

On the Democratic ticket, Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein is pushing to be Ryg's replacement, and said he also plans to run in 2010.

Manian said he came to the U.S. from India in 1989 and became a U.S. citizen in 2000. He has lived in Green Oaks since 2004.

He said he began his career as a social worker in Chicago before founding American Residential Care Inc., which cares for the developmentally disabled.

He charged state leaders "have failed us ethically and economically," over the past 10 years and wants to restore public faith in Illinois.

"Our leaders have lost the trust of our people but still hold on to the power through backroom deals and corruption," he said in the release.

He added with "some hard work and common sense" the state budget can be balanced without raising taxes or cutting essential services.

The 59th District covers east-central Lake County and a portion of northern Cook County.