UPDATED: Lemont Resident Laura Reigle to Run Against Rep. Jim Durkin in 82nd District

Editor's Note: This article was originally published Thursday, Nov. 17. The story was updated Saturday, Nov. 19, to include comments from Laura Reigle.

Lemont resident announced Thursday that she intends to run against State Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) in the Republican primary election next March.

Reigle confirmed the news via email Thursday afternoon. She is currently circulating petitions in support of her candidacy.

Nomination papers must be filed between Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

The Illinois primary will mark Reigle's first bid for state office. Earlier this year, she unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Board of Education during the April 5 consolidated election.

In an interview Friday afternoon, Reigle said that her interest in government and municipalities influenced her decision to run.

"I've been communicating with people across the state over the past few years," she said. "I have a lot of supporters who were encouraging me to get more involved."

She cited transparency and finances as two of the issues that concern her most about Illinois government. She also raised concerns about recent changes to the Freedom of Information Act — specifically a clause gives public bodies more time to respond to a "recurrent requester," a term for individuals who make 50 requests in a 12-month period, 15 requests in a 30-day period or 7 requests in a seven-day period.

Reigle, who frequently submits FOIA requests to local school districts and other public bodies, said she has been designated as a recurrent requester.

Though she currently devotes a great deal of time to attending school board meetings and researching documents, Reigle said her campaign will become her top priority after her paperwork is filed.

"I will still be involved," Reigle said. "Education is one of my top priorities. But I may a little bit busier for a while."

According to the she supplied to Patch in April, Reigle has an associate's degree in applied science and a certificate of achievement in industrial electricity/electronics from Joliet Junior College. She worked as a senior technician at Argonne National Laboratory for seven years before leaving in 2000 to raise her children.

In her candidate profile, she listed her party affiliation as "Independent."

Reigle and her husband, Darryl, live in unincorporated and have three children.

Durkin, the current assistant minority leader in the Illinois House of Representatives, announced his bid for re-election in July. He has served in the 82nd District since 2006. In November 2010, he was elected to a two-year term after Democratic challenger Matthew Mostowik.

The newly drawn 82nd District includes parts of Western Springs, Lemont, Darien, Burr Ridge, Willowbrook and Homer Glen.

Durkin also served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1995 through 2002 until he became the Republican nominee for United States Senate.

He is a former assistant Cook County state's attorney and former assistant Illinois attorney general. He is currently a partner in the Governmental and Municipal Affairs practice group Arnstain and Lehr LLP.

Durkin is a resident of Western Springs, where he lives with his wife and four children.

The Illinois primary election will be held March 20.