EIGHT CANDIDATES TO SEEK UNEXPIRED TERM OF SEN. DUNN

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. -- Chris Grissom, GOP chairman in Jackson County, has an unenviable chore.

No less than five candidates who want to fill the remaining 15 months of Illinois state Sen. Ralph Dunn's term in the 58th District are from Jackson County.

Dunn, R-Pickneyville, who has served in the Illinois Legislature 24 years, about half of that in the State Senate, last week announced he would retire Sept. 30.

Grissom is among Republican leaders in seven counties who must decide on an interim replacement.

Dunn, 81, announced in late July he was getting ready to step down. He made it official last week.

Dunn said, too, that by leaving, he would give someone a chance at being an incumbent, giving them a leg up in the November 1996 election.

Two Democrats have already announced they will be candidates in the 58th District race. Barbara Brown of Chester, a professor at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, will face Tony Mayville of DuBois, a coal miner in Coulterville, in the March primary.

The 58th District includes all of Jackson, Perry, Randolph, Monroe and Washington counties and parts of Union and St. Clair counties.

Included on the list of candidates to fill Dunn's unexpired term are five people from Jackson County:

-- Jim Osberg, an economic development professor at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

-- Charles "Chuck" Daugherty, Carbondale.

-- Charles Hines, Carbondale attorney.

-- Wayne Alstat, Vergennes.

-- Ray Doerr, auctioneer, Vergennes.

Others included:

Jerry Reppert, Anna newspaper publisher and businessman, Union County.

Charles Wayne Goforth of Tamaroa, a former state representative, Perry County.

David Leutefeld, basketball coach at Okawville, Washington County.

Dunn, who announced his retirement date at special banquet during the DuQuoin State Fair last week. More than 250 people, including Gov. James Edgar, attended the banquet. Dunn was first elected to the Illinois House in 1972, and served as a state representative until 1984 when ran for Senate.

In making his official announcement, Dunn said, "I'm really delighted to have been elected some 20 times, counting primaries and general elections, without being defeated. I'm going to rest on my laurels, I think."

Randolph County GOP chairwoman Wanda Dethrow, who chairs the committee of seven chairmen, couldn't be reach Tuesday, but earlier said that setting up interviews with candidates would be the first priority.