Sweet blog special: Mitt Romney taps state Sen. Dan Rutherford to chair Illinois campaign.

WASHINGTON–The Illinois GOP presidential primary is wide open–no Republican has a lock in the Land of Lincoln.

Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney has a running start, with backing from an assortment of Illinois GOP heavyweights, including former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) Romney on Wednesday tapped state Sen. Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac) to chair his Illinois campaign.

from the Romney campaign…

Dan Rutherford Joins ROMNEY FOR

PRESIDENT AS illinois STATE CHAIRMAN

Boston, MA Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced that State Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac) will serve as the Illinois Romney for President State Chairman. Senator Rutherford will play an integral role on the Romney campaign, helping to reach out to voters and to spread Governor Romney’s message of bringing conservative change to Washington.

“Senator Rutherford has been a longstanding and important part of the political and business community in Illinois,” said Governor Romney. “He understands that like any well run business, we need benchmarks in Washington to measure our successes, and his leadership in the state of Illinois will ensure we bring that accountability to the nation’s capital. I look forward to working with him to end the status quo and bring conservative principles back to the federal government.”

In joining Romney for President, Senator Rutherford said, “Governor Romney understands that to keep America strong we need a strong military, a strong economy and strong families. To do that, we must have a strong leader who will change Washington. The people of Illinois can be proud to join me in supporting the candidate who will make his vision for an optimistic future a reality.”

Background On State Senator Dan Rutherford:

State Senator Dan Rutherford Was First Elected To The State Senate In 2002. State Senator Rutherford previously served for 10 years in the House of Representatives, where he was the Assistant Republican Leader. He has been named Legislator of the Year multiple times and has been selected as an outstanding legislator by numerous organizations.

Rutherford is also a successful businessman, who has brought jobs to Illinois.

AUDIO State Senator Dan Rutherford:

To hear audio of why State Senator Rutherford is supporting Governor Romney, click here. You can also listen by calling 641-985-0808, and entering this access code: 8810108.