ENDORSEMENT: Keith R. Wheeler for Illinois House in 50th District

State Rep. Keith Wheeler has proven to be an able legislator since joining the General Assembly in 2015 and deserves another term in office.

He has been a reasonable voice in the state’s fight against the coronavirus. Last May, he voted to eject a fellow Republican legislator who refused to wear a mask in the chamber. Meanwhile, Wheeler makes a good point when he argues that Gov. J.B. Pritzker should have worked more closely with state lawmakers on COVID-19 plans.

The Oswego resident also has a feel for the bread-and-butter issues of his district, such as improving the intersection of Route 30 and Orchard Road, and bringing a new Metra station to Kendall County.

Wheeler wants to reduce tax burdens in order to grow the number of blue collar jobs in Illinois — a tough climb in a state with a $6 billion budget deficit.

He is endorsed over Democratic candidate Kate Monteleone, a consultant for not-for-profits.

To read more Sun-Times endorsements, please go to suntimes.com/political-endorsements. For more information about this race and others, including candidate questionnaires, go to our Illinois voting guide. Our newspaper is owned by a group of civic-minded and, in some cases, politically active investors; for details, see our owner information page.

Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.