Metro East Sun

Foster Township trustee Amy Elik has announced plans to challenge incumbent state Rep. Monica Bristow (D-Alton) in the 111th House District in November 2020, touting her diverse skill set in finance.

“As a certified public accountant and auditor with over two decades of experience, I served as a trusted financial adviser on behalf of my clients,” Elik said in a statement. “Given Illinois’ poor fiscal condition, we need people who can audit financial records, ask tough questions, and push for fiscally responsible solutions that do not additionally burden taxpayers.”

Elik argues that Bristow has been a liability to the district throughout much of her nearly two years in Springfield, including going back on a promise to look for ways to reduce runaway spending by voting yes on the recently enacted $45 billion state budget.

“In fact the only promise she kept was her desire to increase her salary – something she accomplished in the last days of the legislative session,” Elik added. “As state representative I will advance the needs and priorities of this district, not those of Chicago and Speaker [Mike] Madigan.”

Elik said her lifelong history of working with members of the 111th District to support their values also makes her a natural for the post.

“I’ll continue to do that in Springfield” said Elik, who also touts herself as a “champion of our Second Amendment rights” and “lifelong defender of the unborn.”

In 2018, Wood River Township supervisor Mike Babcock lost his hard-fought battle against Bristow by only 356 votes, prompting Elik to say she likes her chances in 2020. 

The 111th District includes all or part of Alton, Bethalto, East Alton, Edwardsville, Elsah, Godfrey, Granite City, Hartford, Madison, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana and Wood River.