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Tri States Public Radio and NPR News will provide you with updated stories from all of our local and national elections between now and November. The NPR News element below will be updated constantly, and will sometimes provide live coverage and audio from important events leading up to the November elections. You can find all of our local coverage after the jump.Election 2012 News From NPR

Tea Party Leader Seeks Seat in Congress

T.J. Carson
Patrick Harlan said his activism includes attending the March for Life in Washington, D.C. each year, as well as hosting picnics for first responders.

The leader of the Knox County Tea Party is looking to trade in his truck driver seat for a seat in Congress. Patrick Harlan of Galesburg is running for the Republican nomination in Illinois' 17th district.

Harlan will face Jack Boccarossa of Milan in the March primary, with the winner to face incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Cheri Bustos in the November general election.

Harlan said he wants to be a conservative voice in Washington.

“The conservative voice is saying it’s time for the government to get out of our schools. It’s time for the government to get out of yours and I’s life. It’s time for us to have a capitalism idea here. This is what we’re built upon,” Harlan said.

Harlan said he was inspired to run by his opposition to taxpayer money going to Planned Parenthood and by his opposition to the Iran nuclear deal. He also wants to strengthen the military and take battles to the places where enemies are located.

Harland said he supports a flat tax, which he said would make rates competitive with nearby states and boost job creation in Illinois.  He also said he's not a fan of union leaders.

“There’s a lot of places where unions decide how they’re going to spend their money, and the union employees don’t have the opportunity to say if they want their money to be spent there or not," Harlan said.

I feel the people, the union people are great people. Those who are in charge of the union are leading those astray." 

Harlan also supports the 2nd Amendment, emphasizing God and religion in schools and government, and limited government.