Illinois Rep. Shimkus won’t run for reelection

GOP Rep. John Shimkus announced Friday he will not seek reelection for Illinois’s 15th Congressional District next year.

Shimkus, who has served in the House since 1997, said while his tenure in Congress has been “an honor of a lifetime” he is looking to spend more time with his family. 

{mosads}“As Illinois candidates begin to circulate petitions next week, now is the time for me to announce that I will not be seeking re-election. … Serving in Congress has been a blessing, but it has also been a sacrifice for my wife Karen, and our boys. 

“Now young men, David, Joshua and Daniel continue to make me proud,” he said in a statement. “I regret the times I have been away from the four of them and thank them for their constant love and support. My Family and I thank you for allowing us the honor to serve. Our dedication to our country, our state, our church, and our community will not waiver as we embark on the next chapter of life.” 

The 61-year-old Illinois Republican sits on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. He would have been the most senior member of the panel eligible to be chairman if Republicans retake the House in 2020.

Shimkus’s district is traditionally a GOP stronghold, with a Cook Political Report partisan voting index of R+21.