Dan Rutherford, Republican State Senator, Running For State Treasurer

CHICAGO (AP) -- Illinois Sen. Dan Rutherford (ROO'-thur-ferd) has announced he's running for state treasurer and he says now isn't the time for Illinois to be considering an income tax increase.

Rutherford, a Republican from Chenoa (shuh-NOH-uh), says Illinois first needs to see how the economy does after Gov. Pat Quinn signs a capital construction bill. The bill is supposed to create jobs.

Speaking in Chicago on Monday, Rutherford said he will run for treasurer no matter what incumbent Democrat Alexi Giannoulias (jeh-NOO'-lee-ehs) does.

Giannoulias has said that he wanted to run for the U.S. Senate to replace Roland Burris, who has opted not to run for a full term.

Rutherford has run for statewide office before. He lost an election for secretary of state against incumbent Jesse White in 2006.

-ASSOCIATED PRESS

Watch his announcement video: