New Lenox mayor to launch campaign for state representative seat Wednesday

New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann will announce he is running for a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives at a kickoff event Wednesday.

Baldermann said last month he was "seriously considering" running for state representative in the 37th District in 2020. State Rep. Margo McDermed, R-Mokena, announced last month that she would not seek reelection after this term.

Last month, Baldermann said he was speaking to several residents of the district and his family to gauge their interests in a run for McDermed’s seat. He said the support for running was “overwhelming.”

Baldermann also said he would be running as a Republican. He said he felt there was too much partisanship and close-mindedness among politicians these days and wanted to see more people with local government experience run for higher office.

The mayor’s kickoff event will take place 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the American Legion Thomas E. Hartung Post 1977, 14414 Ford Drive in New Lenox.

Baldermann was first elected mayor of New Lenox in 2007 and won his fourth term in April.

He is also the superintendent of the one-school Union School District 81 in Joliet and was a member of the Chicago Ridge Police Department for 22 years. He retired as chief in 2010.