Hynes will seek re-election

January 14, 2005
By Billy Dennis

State Comptroller Dan Hynes, a Democrat, made the announcement to the State Journal-Register in Springfield.

The 36-year-old comptroller predicted that Gov. Rod Blagojevich will not be challenged in the Democratic primary in March 2006 and that “the party will be unified behind him” for a second term.

But when he was asked how the governor has been doing, Hynes said his style differs from that of Blagojevich.

“I’m not one for the confrontational approach,” Hynes said. “I believe working more in coalition- building, and that I definitely disagree with the governor on. I don’t think he has made a great enough effort to reach out and work with the legislature” and other constitutional officers.
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Hynes placed second to Barack Obama among seven candidates in the Democratic primary for U.S. senator last year. Obama went on to be elected to the Senate.

Hynes has a lot of fans in Peoria for his handling of the Springfield Cemetery mess. His office is responsible for making sure cemetery owners manage trusts that are set up to care for plots. Apparently, none of Hynes predecessors paid much attention to that part of the job. Hynes came in and provided a lot of help to those trying to get the place fixed up.

I was surprised that this didn’t translate into more support during the Senate primary, but his message was overshadowed by the media obsession with the former marriages of the two big-money candidates, followed by love fest the press had for Obama.

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