Tom Cross of Oswego has spent more than 20 years as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. A former prosecutor, for over a decade he was the House Republican Leader.
Now Cross, 56, wants to be state Treasurer. He won the GOP nomination and faces Democratic state Senator Mike Frerichs of Champaign. The position is responsible for investing state dollars.
Cross said he feels current Treasurer Dan Rutherford has done "a nice job" streamlining the office and it's budget. But he said he can take the office in a different direction.
"The Treasurer's office ought to be engaged, to the extent it can, in trying to turn this state around," Cross said.
An example he offers is the requirement that state lawmakers adopt a balanced budget. "If they don't do that, I am going to see that the constitution is enforced. I think that's the responsibility of the Treasurer. If that means taking the General Assembly to court, we'll do that."