MARION — Tim Arview announced Thursday his candidacy to represent the 117th House District during a news conference at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois.

First, Arview, a Republican from West Frankfort, has to overcome one hurdle: Defeating incumbent State Rep. Dave Severin, R-Benton, in the primary. Severin announced his bid for re-election Tuesday in a press release.

“I’ve lived here all of my live,” Arview said, “and I know what Southern Illinois wants.”

Arview said he also knows the value of hard work. He began working for his dad in the family business, Arview Furnace Co., cleaning ducts and school boilers. He bought his first car for $300 from his older brother.

Arview is what he calls “unashamedly Christian,” supports Second Amendment rights and the Chicago separation movement, and is pro-life. He opposes tax increases.

“It is my purest conviction that the world ‘people’ in the state constitution extends to all people, including the unborn,” Arview said.

He also is concerned about Illinois’ decreasing population and the business climate in the state. He said, according to a study by Northern Illinois University, from 2017 to 2018, the state lost about 50,000 residents. He added that the neighboring states of Indiana and Missouri received nearly all of those residents.

He said true conservative leaders are needed in Springfield, saying Severin, State Rep. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, and State Sen. Dale Fowler, R-Harrisburg, have not lived up to their promises.

“Severin voted 10 times with Chicago politicians. I do know this: I will represent my values in Springfield,” Arview said.

Those attending the event could sign petitions to start conversations on the county level about separating Chicago from the rest of the state.

Severin, a small business owner and former Benton school board president, was first elected in November 2016. Severin believes his legislative record reflects the priorities and values of the people of the 117th district.

He voted no on the graduated income tax hike proposal, unrestricted taxpayer funding for abortion at any stage of pregnancy, far-reaching gun-grabbing legislation that would require the fingerprinting of every law-abiding gun owner, legalizing recreational cannabis, allowing inmates incarcerated in the Cook County jail to vote. He also voted against Mike Madigan as Speaker of the House.

“My voting record reflects the values of the majority of the people in my district, and I believe I have the best chance to win and stop the Madigan-Pritzker agenda in November 2020,” Severin said in a press release.

Severin says he is the best candidate to fight the passage of further Chicago Democrat-led radical policy changes in Springfield.

“My motto has been service over self, and I have worked hard to live up to that creed. Serving Southern Illinois in Springfield is a privilege that I take very seriously. I believe my candidacy offers the people of the 117th district the best opportunity to choose a Representative that will promote and defend Southern Illinois values and stand strong on conservative principle,” Severin said.

Nominating petitions will begin circulating shortly after Labor Day for the 2020 Primary Election. The winner of the March 2020 Primary Election will go on to run in the November 2020 General Election.

For more information, see each candidate’s Facebook page.