Jay Hoffman served in the Illinois House for 22 years, and now he says he's running for Congress.
The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports that Hoffman said Sunday he'll run for the Democratic nomination in the new 13th Congressional District. Hoffman narrowly lost a race for Congress in 1996.
The News-Gazette said Hoffman will "formally announce his candidacy at various stops throughout the sprawling new district on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, starting Wednesday in Edwardsville."
Hoffman had previouslystated that he would run for the office in an email to reporters earlier this month according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The 49-year-old Collinsville resident is already up against two other Democrats - Bloomington physician David Gill and retired Litchfield educator James Gray. Gill has lost three previous runs for Congress.
Two Republicans - six-term incumbent Tim Johnson and Springfield truck driver Sam Spradlin - are also seeking the seat.
The new 13th District stretches from Champaign-Urbana on the northeast through Decatur, Bloomington-Normal and Springfield down to the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis.