UPDATE: Bill Foster Officially Enters Congressional Race Again

The former 14th District Congressman is taking another run at public service.

Bill Foster of Batavia formally announced today, May 31, his campaign to return to Congress. Foster plans to run in the new, proposed Illinois' 11th Congressional District, which would contain the following cities and villages:

• Aurora
• Joliet
• Lisle
• Montgomery
• Naperville

"I am running to return to Congress because there are important things left to accomplish, and important accomplishments that must be defended,” said Foster in a prepared statement. “Our fragile economic recovery must be sustained, and the long-term fiscal problems that we face must be solved without breaking promises to our seniors or dismantling Medicare. Reforms to our financial and healthcare systems must continue so that they work well for both businesses and ordinary people.”

Foster lost his seat in the 14th District, which includes Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and parts of Wheaton, to Randy Hultgren of Winfield in November.

The National Republican Congressional Committee released a statement Tuesday in response to Foster's announcement.

“Illinois working families fired Bill Foster last fall because of his unwavering support for reckless spending, higher taxes and bigger government. Illinois voters understand that Bill Foster's tax and spend record was part of the problem and are unwilling to foot the bill again for his big spending agenda," said spokeswoman Andrea Bozek in the prepared statement.

On this past Election Night, Foster said he was not reelected in part because the slow economic recovery.

"After a year-and-a-half, we were getting out of it but not fast enough for people, and they decided to make a change," Foster told Batavia Patch.

Foster's announcement also contains words of praise from Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner.

"He has the practicality of a small businessman, but also a scientist’s vision of the future ... and he worked hard for Aurora as its congressman," Weisner is quoted as saying in the statement.

Foster represented Aurora in his previous term, along with Montgomery, Oswego and parts of Joliet.

To read Foster's full announcement, click here.