Sen. Righter Seeking Re-Election

State Senator Dale Righter has announced he is seeking re-election to the Illinois Senate from the 55th District. 

The Mattoon Republican has served the current 14-county 55th District since 2013. He has served in the Illinois Senate since 2003, and served in the Illinois House from 1997 until his election to the Senate.

"There is much work to be done in this state," Righter said, "work to balance our budgets, achieve government solvency, and create economic prosperity."

Righter has consistently opposed the unbalanced budgets offered up in Springfield, insisting that any spending plan passed by the General Assembly be balanced.

"It defies common sense, violates the Illinois Constitution, and constitutes a betrayal of our children and grandchildren's interests to spend more than what is available in tax revenue," Righter said. "Government solvency starts with balanced budgets."

Righter's re-election announcement said he has sponsored and voted for reforms he says are necessary to bring Illinois' economy back from the weak job growth performance of the last decade.

Righter also supports placing the issue of term limits on the ballot in 2016, in order to allow voters to decide if they want it added to the Illinois Constitution.

"Let the people decide if they want term limits in Illinois," Righter said. "It's wrong to deny them that voice."

Righter is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University and St. Louis University, and is a partner at the Geisler, Weaver and Righter law office in Charleston. He has two sons, Jonathan, who attends the US Military Academy at West Point, and Benjamin, an engineering major at Eastern Illinois University.