Carbondale Reporter

State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) will soon be bringing her re-election campaign to Murphysboro.

“Hey friends, I’m running for re-election in the 58th Sen. Dist.,” Bryant recently tweeted. “You can help. Stop by as my guest for a slice of pizza & a soft drink and sign my petition as well as petitions for many other Republican candidates. Feb. 3, 5:00-6:30pm Wiffle Boys, 2039 Walnut St.”

Bryant took to Facebook to announce her candidacy and remind constituents of her conservative  positions.

“The people of the 58th district deserve a Senator with a strong conservative record,” she said in a post to Facebook. “My record as state senator reflects my pro-growth, pro-jobs, limited government philosophy. I’ve stood strong against what I think are executive overreaches and I’ve taken JB Pritzker to task for his failed handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Bryant recently voiced her disapproval of the Democratic-drawn judicial subcircuit maps in a Jan. 12 Facebook post.

"Absolute partisan politics at its worst,” she posted. “It is court packing and stacking as well as a violation of the Separation of Powers. We spent only one day in Springfield last week all so that the legislature could pass this crap.”

In addition to blasting the governor for his overall handling of the COVID-19 crisis, Bryant has derided him for what she deems his bungled distribution of unemployment benefits, arguing his flawed strategy led to even more hardship for countless other residents across the state.

“The Governor’s lack of engagement with the legislature in managing the COVID-19 pandemic amount to the actions of an out-of-control chief executive and people are sick of it,” she said.

Bryant also recently moved to file legislation she insists is designed to give parents a voice against what she sees as the governor’s constant overreach.

Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment (SJRCA 12) seeks to add a new section to the Illinois Bill of Rights establishing that parents have the right to determine their child’s education and healthcare in relationship to the coronavirus without infringement up until the time that the child attains the age of majority.

“This legislation seeks to preserve a parent's decision-making authority regarding their child’s education and healthcare,” Bryant said. “Throughout this pandemic, we’ve seen countless examples of the government’s disregard for the rights of Illinois parents. Enough is enough. Parents have a right to be involved and to have a say in the education and wellbeing of their child.”

Bryant was recently appointed to the newly created Nonprofit Electric Generation Task Force, which aims to investigate carbon capture and debt financing options for the Prairie State Energy Campus in Marissa.

“Prairie State is a vital economic driver that employs more than 600 permanent, full-time workers and stimulates an additional 800 jobs within Southern Illinois,” said Bryant. “Without Prairie State, 180 different communities would lose access to cheap and affordable electricity that provides power to more than 2.5 million families and businesses.”