Tim Bass Discusses Campaign Despite Unopposed Judicial Race

The Republican is still attending campaign events with other GOP candidates on the November 3 ballot

MT. STERLING, Ill. �Republican Tim Bass needs just one vote to secure the at-large judicial seat in the eighth district.

Bass delivered the line and generated some laughs during his recent appearance at the Brown County GOP dinner in Mt. Sterling. Republicans Darren Bailey for Governor, Don Tracy for U.S. Senate and Bryan Drew for Illinois Comptroller were the other featured speakers at the gathering at American Legion Post 374.

Bass, who won the primary over Judge Chris Pratt, who was appointed to the seat, is running unopposed in the November 3 election.

�My swearing in will be December 7 and you�re all invited to that,� Bass said. �My swearing at will occur shortly thereafter and you all don�t need to come to that.�

Another joke that drew more laughter from the crowd, filled with some of the most active republicans in the region.

As a judicial candidate, Bass cannot endorse other candidates.

�But I don�t think there�s any doubt who I�m voting for, otherwise I wouldn�t be here,� he noted to shouts and applause. �I just wanted to say a few words as the most grateful person, the most blessed person in this room. Thank you to the people in this room. Thank you to the people of Brown County and the other seven counties for giving me the honor of a lifetime.�

Bass says nobody is more blessed than he is to serve as a judge in his home community.

�I pledge to honor that trust that you�ve placed in me,� he told the crowd of republican volunteers who are viewed as instrumental in getting out the vote for the other republicans on the ticket. �As the product of a successful election with 73% of the vote, against an appointed incumbent, I know what it takes to win an election. It comes from the support of people.�

A year and a half ago, when Bass was at a Lincoln-Reagan Dinner in his hometown of Rushville, Bass says he was told by people that he would crush the election. What followed was a constant stream of support, from placing a sign in their yard to allowing him to speak at township meetings.

He thanked State Senator Jil Tracy and State Representative Kyle Moore in particular for their support. Ultimately, he explained it was people turning out to vote.

�That�s what it�s going to take to win an election for our candidates come November 3,� Bass said. �Even though I only need one vote, I take nothing for granted. I�m going to continue to spend the rest of the summer and the fall continuing to earn every vote that I can get.�