Morgan Phillips to run for 105th District state rep seat

Morgan Phillips, of Lostant, will seek the Democratic nomination for Illinois state representative in the 105th District after submitting her petitions Monday to the Illinois State Board of Elections in Springfield.

“I am running for office because I think young people must be more involved in politics,” Phillips said in a news release. “I want to be a voice for the future in Springfield to help assure that even 60 years into the future, we have access to the same or better resources as previous generations.”

Phillips grew up in rural Lostant. She attended Lostant Grade School, Putnam County High School and graduated from the Illinois Math and Science Academy. She continued her education at Illinois Valley Community College and earned her bachelor’s degree at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

After graduating in 2022, she returned to the Illinois valley area where she was the campaign manager for State Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa).

She is employed as a muralist and has contributed to public artworks on display in several local communities. Like Morgan, most residents of the 105th District live in small towns or unincorporated areas.

“I understand this area well because I grew up here, especially our schools,” Morgan said. “Right now, I don’t think Illinois funds its schools fairly. We rely on property taxes, so if you live in a rural area, you won’t have as much money as a school in a wealthy suburb unless everyone pays higher taxes. If I am elected, I want to push to change that.”

If Phillips remains unopposed in the March 19 primary, she will face the winner of the Republican primary on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

“I look forward to meeting more voters as I continue to go door-to-door and learn more about my community,” Phillips said. “Ideally, my participation in this election will encourage more young people like me to do the same. If the idea of running for state representative seems like too much as a first step, local elections like county board, school board or library board are just as important and I hope to inspire that.”

The 105th District is represented by Dennis Tipsword (R-Metamora). It covers all of Putnam County and portions of Livingston, La Salle, Bureau, McLean, Woodford, Tazwell, Marshall and Peoria counties.