City Room™ - Politics - Jack Franks Not Running - or Endorsing

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Jack Franks Not Running - or Endorsing - for Gov
Produced by Sam Hudzik on Monday, October 05, 2009

Illinois Rep. Jack D. Franks, D-Woodstock, participates in a committee hearing looking into the impeachment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008. (AP/Jeff Roberson)

A Democratic lawmaker in Illinois who thought about running for governor says he's not ready to support a candidate in the primary.

For weeks, state Representative Jack Franks from McHenry County was publicly mulling a campaign against Governor Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes in the Democratic primary.

FRANKS: I'm never scared of a fight. I really think that if I were in the race, I'd win the race.

But he's not running, he says, because he doesn't want to miss out on time with his family.

Franks says he won't yet throw his support behind Quinn...

FRANKS: He had an opportunity really to change government fundamentally and he hasn't done so.

...or Hynes.

FRANKS: I want to see if he's got the fire in the belly and whether he's willing to change the system.

Franks plans to run for re-election to the Illinois House next year. He's reported close to $1.5-million in his campaign account, much of it coming from family members while he was considering a campaign for higher office.