Third candidate enters House race: McNeil vying 
for Boland’s seat

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Porter McNeil is the latest of three Democrats hoping to replace state Rep. Mike Boland in the Illinois House.

McNeil, a media and public affairs consultant who once worked for House Speaker Michael Madigan, filed his petition for candidacy last week, on the final day to get on the Feb. 2 primary election ballot.

The Moline native joined Dennis Ahern, also of Moline, and Jerry Lack, of East Moline, in the bid for the 71st House District spot. Boland, D-East Moline, is vacating the seat to run for lieutenant governor.

“I am going to work hard to earn the trust and support of the citizens of Whiteside County the old fashioned way: I’m going to earn it,” McNeil said in a news release. “You will see me in Whiteside County often. I want to listen and learn and lead.”

He’s running to help build a strong economy and quality of life for future generations, he said. He will focus on jobs, education, health care and government reform.

He also plans to work on transportation.

“Building new roads and highways in White-side County helps the entire region,” McNeil said. “Developing passenger rail from Chicago to the Quad Cities and building the new WIU-QC Riverfront Campus helps the entire region. We are all in this together.”

McNeil has nearly a decade of experience in state government, including serving as statehouse press secretary for Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes.

He has spent time on the campaign trail, including the presidential campaign of John Kerry and the campaign of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

McNeil and his wife, Mary, live in Moline and have three children: James, 14, Jack, 12, and Ellie, 8.

For more information, go to www.mcneil2010.com online.