Another candidate has dropped out of the race for the Republican nomination for Congress in Illinois' 14th Congressional District.
On Tuesday, Mark Vargas, of Elgin, confirmed that he has shut down his campaign and thrown his support behind Ethan Hastert, of Elburn, a lawyer and son of former Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert.
"The news is correct," Vargas said in an emailed response to an inquiry from The Chronicle. "I have dropped out of the race and am supporting Ethan."
Vargas said he based his decision on a desire to see Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Bill Foster removed from office as the region's representative in the U.S. House.
While Vargas said he remains "ambitious," he is also "realistic."
"This election is about new ideas and fresh faces, and Ethan Hastert has the right message, the right organization and the funding necessary to wage a successful and competitive campaign against Foster next fall," Vargas said. "Politics is all about timing, and right now is not my time."
Vargas, a graduate of Judson University in Elgin, had based much of his campaign on the knowledge he gained working in Iraq as an economic advisor to the Department of Defense.
He had officially announced his candidacy in September.
Vargas' withdrawal from the race leaves three seeking the Republican nod to run against Foster in November 2010: Hastert, State Sen. Randy Hultgren, of Winfield, and Jeff Danklefsen, a property maintenance manager, of Geneva.
Business man Jim Purcell, of Batavia, withdrew from the Republican primary campaign last week, claiming he wished to see someone other than Hastert secure the nomination.
Hastert welcomed Vargas' support.
In a prepared statement, Hastert said he appreciated "the leadership Mark has demonstrated in the campaign."
"We share a common belief that smaller government, lower taxes and less spending leads to job creation," Hastert said in the statement. "I am pleased that Mark sees me as someone who can effectively carry these ideas into the campaign next fall against Bill Foster."
Vargas said his withdrawal from the 2010 GOP primary race does not mean that he will cease to be active in politics or preclude him from seeking elected office at a later time.
