POSHARD SEEKS ONE MORE TERM

MARION, Ill. -- Glenn Poshard says he will retire from Congress in 1998, but he wants two more years in the House of Representatives.

"I don't feel that congressmen should make a whole career of being in Congress," said Poshard, a Democrat.

Poshard, a former public-school teacher and administrator, has enjoyed solid re-elections in congressional races ranging from 58 to 64 percent of the vote in each of his previous four campaigns.

During his first campaign for Congress, Poshard said he would like to spend 10 years as congressman.

Poshard will face his 1994 opponent again this year.

Republican Brent Winters of Martinsville, a lawyer and self-employed geologist, received 42 percent of the vote as a political newcomer in 1994, winning five of the 27 counties in the 19th Congressional District. He owns an educational supply store in Martinsville.

The two other candidates in the 19th District are James R. Lacher of Sullivan, the Libertarian; and Patricia Rike of Charleston, the Natural Law Party candidate.

Winters believes he will have more name recognition throughout the large district this time around.

Winters' platform includes tax cuts for the middle class, balancing the federal budget, tax breaks for businesses that he say will create more jobs, and cutting federal funds for various arts projects.

Winters said Poshard "voted for the largest tax increase in the history of the U.S. in 1993," and Poshard voted against a balanced budget five times.

Poshard said he voted for a tax increase supported by President Clinton in 1993 to help reduce a massive budget deficit. The balanced budget then would have caused deep cuts in vital social programs, he said.

Poshard said that tax breaks must be targeted to help small businesses and stimulate the economy, but that a enough tax revenue must be generated to help balance the budget and continue to support Medicare and Social Security.

Poshard said the government plays an important role in funding educational programs and providing educational materials for schools.

Before his first election to the House, Poshard served in the Illinois Senate six years, from 1982 to 1988. He holds a doctoral degree in administration of higher education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and was a teacher and administrator from 1970 through 1984.

Poshard said he will likely return to the field of education when he leaves Congress. He also said that if re-elected he won't endorse anyone to succeed him in two years.