Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Jim Edgar hopes to win over Illinois democrats by highlighting the importance of keeping one party from controlling the General Assembly and the governor’s position.

Edgar, at a campaign fundraiser at the Stratford Inn in Sycamore Thursday, said the system of checks and balances in Illinois politics would be lost with a Democratic governor.

He said policy decisions would be restricted to one party allowing less representation of positions on these decisions.

“We’re at the crossroads in the history of this state,” Edgar said. “In the 1990s we will lay the groundwork of where this state goes in the 21st century.”

In attendence at the affair were Rep. John Countryman, (R—DeKalb), States Attorney Mike Coghlan, DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott, Charlotte Sundly, county treasurer candidate, and NIU College Republicans Chairman Chris Hudders, among others.

As secretary of state for almost nine years, Edgar said he has kept state highways safe from drunk drivers, improved library service, improved the problem of adult illiteracy, and in Jan. 1, 1990, will require all motorists to own liability insurance.

Edgar also said education is his “number one priority.” He said he wants to see parents get more involved in education.