Metro East Sun

Doug Jameson’s campaign outings continue to increase as November approaches, but no matter where he goes he hears a common refrain from voters.

“The top issue everybody wants to complain about is the staggering cost of property taxes,” Jameson told the Metro East Sun. “For a lot of people, it’s gotten so bad their tax bill now exceeds the cost of their mortgage. What’s happening is the cost of government has gotten so high you have to inflate the cost of everything else just to be able to cover it. It’s far beyond the rate of service we actually receive.”

A Republican, Jameson is challenging Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) in Illinois’ 113th District and sees the reigning lawmaker as a big part of the state’s problem.

Rep. Jay Hoffman

“I’m running against a 22-year incumbent who is seeking a 12th term and has just taken a whole pile of money from (House Speaker) Mike Madigan and has been rewarded by him with a recent promotion,” Jameson said. “It should be clear to everyone who his boss is and whose interests he’s working to meet and maintain.”

In all his interactions with voters across the district, Jameson said he senses that voters have finally had enough.

“Hoffman’s negatives are pretty high,” he said. “It’s true that he has high name recognition and plenty of money, but I think I’m outworking him and my message is really starting to resonate given all the bad we’re seeing coming out of Springfield.”

Jameson has promised voters he will work just as hard to please them once he gets to Springfield because he recognizes that they are the only reason he is there.

“For me, it’s about the service and not the reward,” he said. “It’s the people of the district that I will see as my boss, not Mike Madigan."

The 113th District includes all or parts of Brooklyn, Caseyville, Fairmont City, Pontoon Beach, Shiloh, Swansea and Washington Park.