State Senator AJ Wilhelmi said he welcomes the opportunity to discuss the critical issues with a challenger. This came after he learned Will County judge re-instated his opponent to the ballot.

"We have serious issues facing Illinois, and I’m looking forward to a substantive campaign that addresses them,” Wilhelmi said.  “We have serious challenges in Illinois right now, and we need lawmakers who are serious about solving them.  I look forward to discussing my plans with the people of my district.”

Since Wilhelmi's election in 2006 with 70.2% of the vote, he has focused on responsible economic solutions particularly creating and saving jobs; on education; and on protecting the most vulnerable, including children, veterans and the elderly.

Some of Wilhelmi's key successes for his district include the capital bill which will fund a new interchange at I-55 and Weber Road, the enabling legislation for building the Illiana Expressway as a public-private partnership, and the construction of the new intermodal in Joliet.  Overall, an estimated 10,000 new jobs are anticipated from these. Wilhelmi has also supported legislation to provide a $2500 small business tax credit for new hires in order to promote economic recovery.

Additionally, Wilhelmi has a reputation for his bi-partisan approach. One example is when he worked with House Republican Leader Tom Cross to secure after-school funding for Will County schools.