Published: September 03, 2009 08:15 am      

Hays announces 104th candidacy

CATLIN — A Vermilion County resident became the first Republican to officially throw his hat in the ring to run for the 104th District.

Chad Hays of Catlin made the announcement standing on the all-weather track at Catlin High School Wednesday afternoon — one day after he was selected as candidate for the seat currently held by state Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville.

Hays described himself as a candidate “qualified to lead, ready to serve and passionate about the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Hays, 46, has served as the mayor of Catlin and currently works as the vice president of development and mission services at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center in Danville. He cited that public and private experience as giving him a unique perspective on problems.

“I want to reinvent Illinois as a place that is open and ready for business,” he told the attending crowd, which included students from Catlin school.

The race for the 104th District caught fire after Black, a lawmaker for more than 20 years, announced in August that he would not run for re-election. Members of the Republican parties in Vermilion and Champaign counties met Tuesday night in St. Joseph about the state House of Representatives seat.

Black, along with former state Sen. Judy Myers, joined Hays at Wednesday afternoon’s announcement. Black said it was time for the generational torch to be passed.

“We need someone to go to Springfield that isn’t afraid of those downstate roots,” he said of Hays, who is a Vermilion County native.

Black also said Hays is “an honest man who won’t let Springfield change that.”

Hays graduating from Catlin High School, Danville Area Community College and Southern Illinois University. Hays and his wife Ruth have three children.