Ethan Hastert declares run for Congress

Ethan Hastert (R-Ill.) announced on Monday that he’ll run for the seat his father, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R), used to hold.

The Kane County Chronicle reports that Hastert is the first Republican to declare he’s running for the 14th District seat currently held by Rep. Bill Foster (D).

Foster won the seat in a special election and general election last year and the Chronicle reports that he hasn’t turned his attention to his next reelection bid, yet.

“Whether he is voting to cut taxes for 95 percent of working district residents, delivering nearly $64 million to 14th District schools or demonstrating he is concerned about paying down the national debt by voting against the Democratic Party’s budget, Congressman Bill Foster is focused on working to solve the problems our families face and get our economy moving again – he is not thinking about elections right now,” Foster’s spokeswoman said in a statement.

Hastert told the Chronicle that he is running because he has heard from voters they want change.

“Generally, what I’ve been hearing is that people are not happy, not satisfied with our current leadership in Washington,” he said. “Quite frankly, people are ready for the next generation of leadership.”

jeremy.jacobs@digital-stage.thehill.com