Shorewood Republican to again run for state senate seat

Republican Tom McCullagh will again vie for the GOP nomination to represent the 49th state senate district in 2022.

The Shorewood resident said in his announcement he’s a pro-union Republican who prioritizes public safety.

“An elected representative’s first obligation is to public safety, and our current State Senator is an abject failure in this category,” McCullagh said in a statement. “I stand strongly with law enforcement. Our families deserve to be kept safe.”

The sitting legislator, Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, defeated McCullagh for the seat in 2020.

McCullagh also echoed the arguments of many Republicans who have criticized Democrats for passing taxes which cause residents to leave the state.

“If we are to have hope of fiscal survival in Illinois, we must reduce personal and corporate tax rates to allow for personal and corporate growth,” McCullagh said. “Without this, many families will not have a sustainable future in Illinois.”

McCullagh has also been a fervent advocate for veterans as he serves on the board for K9s for Veterans and the Forgotten Warriors Memorial.

He also started his own home repair and general contracting business in 2015 and operates across multiple states.

McCullagh will have to compete for the Republican nomination against Plainfield resident Stacey Keagle who announced her candidacy last month.

The 49th District stretches from Bolingbrook and Naperville in the north to parts of Joliet, Shorewood and Crest Hill.

The Illinois primary election is June 28.