Elmhurst Lawmaker Wants to Lead State's Republican Party

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Byline: John Patterson Daily Herald State Government Writer

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois House Republican Leader Lee Daniels announced Friday he will try to become chairman of the Illinois Republican Party.

Rich Williamson said this week he is leaving the post to take a job at the United Nations. Daniels, from Elmhurst, consulted Williamson and Gov. George Ryan on Friday. Both encouraged him to run for the chairman's post, said Gregg Durham, Daniels' spokesman.

Although it is an unpaid and considered thankless job, the party chairman controls what can be millions of dollars from the national Republican Party for Illinois campaigns.

For Daniels, the …