'Regular Joe' jumps into 14th Dist. race

SPRINGFIELD - The Libertarian candidate challenging U.S. Rep. Bill Foster filed paperwork Monday to get on the November ballot, and said health care still is the most important issue to voters in his suburban district.

Libertarian Candidate Doug Marks of Carpentersville filed more than 16,000 signatures Monday in order to become a viable third-party candidate. If the state elections board approves those signatures, Marks will face incumbent Democrat Bill Foster of Geneva and Republican State Sen. Randy Hultgren of Winfield Township in the general election.

Marks, who telecommutes working for a software firm based in Washington, D.C., described himself as a "regular Joe" whose ultimate goal is to reduce big government.

After talking to voters in his Congressional district, he said, reversing the Obama health care reforms will be a top priority if he's elected. Foster's support of the health care plan reflects a larger problem, Marks said, of representatives voting against the wishes of constituents.

"The anger's out there," Marks said. "It all stems around a lack of voice, being treated like children."

Crystal Jurczynski, campaign director for Illinois' Libertarian Party, said signature drives for Marks and other candidates started March 23, with 108 volunteers collecting signatures statewide. She estimated the total cost for collecting signatures for all the party's candidates was roughly $50,000.

"Because we have such a short time - it's only 90 days - to collect all those signatures, you really need to have paid (petitioners)," Jurczynski said.

Although she is unaware of immediate plans to challenge the validity of the signatures, Jurczynski said the party is ready to defend the petitions.