Republican voters will decide their nominee for 58th District State Senator on March 19 between incumbent Terri Bryant and challenger Wesley Kash. The 58th Senate District includes all or parts of Edwards, Franklin, Hamilton, Jackson, Jefferson, Marion, Monroe, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, Wabash, Washington, Wayne and White counties.

Terri Bryant

Terri Bryant, 60, of Murphysboro, is seeking re-election as state senator. She previously served as 115th District State Representative from 2015-2021.  

Bryant is retired from the Illinois Department of Corrections and attended John A. Logan College and Rend Lake College. 

Bryant says she is active in Illinois Right to Life and works through her church, Grand Avenue Christian Church, at the Carbondale Warming Center. Bryant said she and her husband provide meat to food banks throughout the year, and her office hosts a diaper drive that provides diapers, formula, bottles and more to crisis pregnancy centers. 

She has also partnered with Lions clubs to collect eyeglasses and is a member of the Eastern Star. 

Bryant listed illegal immigration as the top issue in her race.

“I have been a leading voice against the billions of dollars being spent on non-citizens while our own citizens, including our veterans, suffer from lack of proper housing, food and medical care,” Bryant said. “I have been exposing the Pritzker gold standard medicaid for non-citizens, which pays for doctors, procedures, and hospitalization with no pre-approval or co-pays. All of this while veterans and other citizens struggle to receive the same services. This is not acceptable and it will be my top priority to end this injustice.” 

Bryant said she is an assertive leader who puts Southern Illinois first.

“No one will outwork me as I strive to make our voices heard,” Bryant said. “I have been successful in ensuring we have the most funding for public schools in Illinois history as well as billions for safe roads and bridges. I am fighting to protect life and our Second Amendment rights.”

Wesley Kash

Wesley Kash, 34, of Mt. Vernon, is a licensed attorney and lifelong farmer who has not previously run for political office. 

Kash studied law at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, graduating with a Juris Doctorate. Kash also studied biological sciences at SIUC, earning a bachelor’s in biological sciences with minors in chemistry and psychology.

He’s worked as an assistant state’s attorney, volunteered for a sealing and expungement fair, and participated in various storm damage clean-up crews over the years.

“I have a young son and when I look at the future of our state and our nation, I am very concerned about the kind of world my son will inherit,” Kash said. “We have to start now to get our finances under control. The truth is every county in the 58th District has a poverty level north of 11 percent. I am running to lower taxes, reduce spending, fight corruption and make Illinois a destination state for jobs and opportunities. We have to reduce spending and we have to lower taxes. We also have to stop treating employers like criminals. We need to also hold state agencies accountable for their lack of competence. It should not take months and months for professionals who do come to Illinois to get licensed. Our leaders won’t even acknowledge we have a problem. States like Florida and Texas have shown what can happen when sound economic policies are put in place. We can do the same thing here, but we need new and better leaders to get it done.”

Kash listed the economy as the top issue in this race.

“When I travel the 58th District, what I hear most from people is they are concerned about inflation and high taxes in this state,” he said. “One way we can fight inflation is to lower taxes and fees and reduce spending. I will push to lower taxes, reduce business regulations, enact spending caps and work with local government officials to bring jobs to our region.”