"I’m proud to represent deep southern Illinois as Senator of the Illinois 58th Senate district. Deep southern Illinois is truly the heart of the heartland. The area features the 7th busiest inland port in the U.S. at Port Kaskaskia; the world’s largest trap shooting event at the World Shooting Complex in Sparta; and a world class university system with its flagship campus in Carbondale. The district is home to the Shawnee National Forest and a multitude of lakes and state parks. For a cultural experience you can’t beat Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mt. Vernon. It just doesn’t get any better than southern Illinois."