Republicans choose Liefer to run for state’s attorney
The Monroe County Republican Central Committee on Wednesday night approved the selection of Lucas Liefer as the party’s candidate for state’s attorney in the upcoming general election.
Liefer will face Democrat state’s attorney candidate Celeste Korando in the Nov. 3 election.
“I have always had an interest in public service and the goal of becoming state’s attorney,” Liefer said. “For those close to me, it comes as no surprise that I am seeking the position.”
Liefer was hired as an assistant state’s attorney for Monroe County in March following the sudden resignation of Ryan Martin, who was on the Republican ballot for state’s attorney in the March primary. Martin recently withdrew his candidacy due to personal family matters.
Current Monroe County State’s Attorney Chris Hitzemann, also a Republican, is seeking to be Monroe County’s resident judge of the 20th Circuit Court upon the retirement of Judge Dennis Doyle, a Democrat.
A Baldwin resident, Liefer graduated from Red Bud High School in 2003. He went on to graduate magna cum laude from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2008 with a bachelor’s in political science. He graduated cum laude from SIUC’s law school in 2011.
Liefer has interned for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office in the consumer fraud division, served as extern for Judge David R. Herndon of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois and worked as an extern for the Randolph County State’s Attorney’s Office.
After finishing law school, Liefer worked for a law firm called Arbeiter & Walker in Red Bud for a year. He then became a partner at Cooper & Liefer in Red Bud.
“Lucas is well-respected by our first responders here in Monroe County and fully endorsed by our sheriff Neal Rohlfing, our county circuit clerk Lisa Fallon and of course our state’s attorney Chris Hitzemann,” Monroe County Republican Central Committee Chairman Ed McLean said. “(The) common theme we heard was that he is very prepared for court all the time and is well-liked by court staff. He supports the constitution, (and is) pro-life and pro-Second Amendment.”
