Mathias to try for re-election

SPRINGFIELD — Republican Rep. Sidney Mathias announced Monday that he’ll run for re-election to the Illinois House in 2012, ending speculation about his future after Democratic map drawers dealt him a tough matchup.

Mathias, of Buffalo Grove, will run in a newly drawn legislative district that looks very different from the northern suburban district he represents now.

The new map also means he’ll face a possible matchup with Democratic incumbent Rep. Carol Sente of Vernon Hills.

“As a full-time legislator, I have a proven track record for not only protecting taxpayers, but also cutting through the bureaucratic clutter to bring real ideas forward,” Mathias said in a statement.

Mathias, who predicted the race would be a “tough election,” was among a handful of Republican lawmakers who were placed into potential 2012 battles by Democratic mapmakers.

At least one, Rep. Franco Coladipietro, a Bloomingdale Republican who would have had to face off against a GOP colleague to run again, has decided against re-election.

Others continue to mull their options, and their decisions will continue trickling out over the coming weeks.