Peoria Standard

Dr. Bill Hauter has overcome a push from establishment Republicans to win the primary for the 87th House District seat.

Hauter is unlikely to face an opponent in the November general election.

“I was motivated as a physician looking at this is covered tyranny has what I call it this the mandates, the lockdowns, the passports and, you know, closing or limiting attendance at church services,” Hauter told the Peoria Standard.  

“All this was deeply unpopular in my district and I felt it was wrongheaded. I thought it was counterproductive. I thought it was very authoritarian and became to me, it became a whole power move.”

“So that was my motivation and I knew I had a unique opportunity. I had a unique perspective of being a physician, and I could speak to it, you know, from a medical perspective, from a scientific perspective. And so I just decided that this was a sort of something that I could offer kind of a unique perspective on all of this.

“That was my message. And I share the conservative values of this district. I was on the Tazewell County Board. And so looking at it, I decided to run and I'm the only position I would be the only physician and all the legislature.”

“And that is another thing, I think I can be effective. I can be a good voice for medicine in the legislature and all these issues that are dealing with patient access or, you know, critical access. Hospitals or patient care and safety-related issues are debated now by lawyers and, you know, activists and politicians. And I think it's really good for medicine to have a seat at the table. So as the only position in the legislature of Illinois, I think I also have a, you know, kind of a unique opportunity there, too. So I'm excited about what I could do and how I could represent the district and I'm really happy about last night.”

Hauter, who was endorsed by GOP gubernatorial primary winner State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), won with 8,795 votes to Tazewell County Treasurer Mary Burress's 6,722 votes.

Burress had served as an elected official for 39 years.

Hauter, 51, of Mackinaw, is a Tazewell County Board member and pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist with OSF Healthcare.

The 87th district includes parts of northeast Sangamon, Macon, DeWitt, McLean, Woodford and Tazewell counties and all of Logan County.

Hauter’s opponent received financial backing from Chicago Republicans in her bid to win the GOP nomination.

In his announcement to run for the seat, Hauter noted he was “disgusted with the direction of our state.”

“I support vaccinations but I believe vaccination mandates and passports are counterproductive, authoritarian and divisive. I feel compelled to speak clearly and strongly for the district on this and many other important issues. I know that God orders our steps, this is a big step.  I believe this is a unique time, and as a physician, I may have a unique voice and perspective. Please join me in this journey,” Hauter said on his Tazewell County Board campaign Facebook page.