Jim Dey: In or out? McLean County pol faces a big decision

Jun. 26—Born on the Fourth of July, former McLean County Republican state Rep. Dan Brady hopes to make a big decision "right around that time."

Will he or won't be succumb to GOP blandishments and seek his party's nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen in Illinois' 17th congressional district?

National GOP strategists have been giving the 62-year-old Brady a hard sell about making the run. Last week, he visited Washington, D.C., where he listened to pitches that ranged from analyses of his election prospects to pledges of financial support.

"I've been at more meetings than I visualized myself going to," said Brady, a 20-year veteran of the Illinois House of Representatives who made an unsuccessful run for secretary of state in 2022.

Illinois has 17 congressional districts, the 2024 election results in 16 of them predetermined by Democratic gerrymandering of the district boundary lines.

Republicans, however, believe they have a shot at defeating first-term Democrat Sorensen and are looking for a seasoned, well-known candidate to take him on.

On paper, Brady looks like he could be the guy. He said a "fair percentage" of the 17th district includes his old Illinois House district. Plus, his campaign for secretary of state, although unsuccessful, showed he can appeal to Democrats and independents as well as GOP voters.

Still, Brady said, running for the U.S. House is a huge commitment, one that consumes time, energy and money with no promise of a happy ending. That's why he said "I'm going to do my homework" before making a final decision.

The 17th is a masterpiece of stitching together all or portions of 17 counties. Most of its population lives on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities, but it includes parts of Peoria and Rockford.

It was represented for 10 years by Democratic U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos. But she opted for retirement after a near defeat in 2020.

In 2022, Sorensen, a former television weatherman, won a crowded, multi-candidate Democratic Party primary election and then defeated his Republican challenger Esther Joy King by a roughly 52 percent to 48 percent margin (8,000 votes).

While Sorensen was winning his House seat, Brady was part of the GOP's losing statewide slate. He was grossly outspent by Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and running on a GOP ticket led by politically inept gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey.

Brady takes small comfort in noting that he was the GOP's leading vote-getter statewide while taking actual solace in reporting that he won a majority of the vote in the 17th district.

But he understands there are multiple roadblocks if he gets in the race, the first being a rival Republican who already has announced his candidacy. That's Rockford businessman Ray Estrada, a political newcomer who bills himself as an "entrepreneur and philanthropist."

Estrada said he is running "because I know how important freedom and the American Dream are."

"We need a representative who will provide financial stability and security for our communities so (people) can get ahead, and leadership to secure our borders and stand up to international bullies," he said. "Forty-four years ago, my family and I fled Nicaragua to escape the deadly civil war and communist takeover. We found safety and opportunity in Galesburg, Illinois, where I raised my family, and we are pursuing our American Dream," he said.

Brady said it was "not my idea" to run for the U.S. House but that he was approached by Republican Party operatives engaged in candidate recruitment.

"I think what they wanted to do was pique my interest," Brady said.

Last week, their effort to interest Brady mushroomed into polite arm-twisting.

The 17th is not Brady's only iron in the fire. He said he's also considering running for the 88th District Illinois House seat.

But after running a grueling and losing statewide campaign in 2022, does Brady have the stomach for another go?

Look for political fireworks around July 4. Then again, maybe not.